New father Curtis Jones enjoyed the fruits of a restful night in the spare room as he led Liverpool to a crucial victory under Arne Slot.

Having welcomed his first child just a week ago, Jones stepped in for the unwell Alexis Mac Allister and showcased his prowess at both ends of the pitch, securing a 2-1 win at Anfield and keeping Liverpool at the top of the table.

In addition to winning a penalty and scoring the decisive goal, the 23-year-old thwarted the influence of Chelsea's Cole Palmer, making a vital goal-saving block.

Since taking over from Jurgen Klopp, Slot has achieved 10 wins in 11 matches across all competitions. The Dutch manager, who received a booking yesterday for appealing another penalty, remains a point ahead of Manchester City, who secured a dramatic victory against Wolves earlier in the day.

Jones' man-of-the-match performance added to what has been an unforgettable few days for the local Merseysider.

“I’ve been a dad for a week, and it’s the best thing ever. She’s a little dream, but I thought it best to sleep in the spare room before the game!” he remarked.

“To play in this team, you need to contribute with goals and assists, as well as getting back to defend. As soon as Mo (Salah) had the ball, I made the run. It bounced, so I needed a touch, and thankfully it went in for the goal.”

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill was taken aback that his challenge on Jones resulted in a penalty, which was converted by Salah.

“I played the ball and made a run. I never dive. I felt the contact,” said Jones, who later had another penalty decision overturned by VAR.

Slot expressed his satisfaction not only with Jones’ attacking contributions but also with his defensive work against Palmer, reminiscent of the all-round midfield performances once seen from Steven Gerrard.

“Curtis had a very good game. He faced a difficult task in containing Cole Palmer, who is an exceptional player, but he managed to do so for the majority of the match,” said the Reds manager.

“To combine that with his goal and involvement in the penalties demonstrates that he made an impact at both ends of the pitch.”