Curtis Jones was unfairly criticised after Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday, according to journalist Emmet Gates.
The 20-year-old has established himself as a regular in the Reds' first-team in recent weeks, but arguably had his toughest game in a Liverpool shirt against Pep Guardiola's men at Anfield.
How did Jones perform against City?
Looking at Jones' statistics from the game, it appears that he actually did himself justice. As per WhoScored, he completed 93.5% of his attempted passes - a better percentage than any of his teammates - on his way to a respectable match rating of 6.84.
Indeed, he even managed to register an assist, although in reality he played a fairly simple pass into the feet of Mohamed Salah, who then set off on a stunning run which culminated in a brilliant solo goal.
Yet Liverpool did struggle at times in the match, and were largely outplayed in the first half by the champions. This led to some Liverpool supporters on The Athletic's discussion thread questioning whether Jones was out of his depth.
What has Gates said about Jones?
Gates feels that the flak Jones has received is harsh, and has reminded supporters to be patient with the youngster as he continues to find his way in the early stages of his senior career.
When asked about the criticism that Jones received, Gates told GIVEMESPORT: “I think it was unfair. Expectations have to checked. He was very good against Norwich in the EFL Cup, he was very good against Porto, he was involved in all five goals.
“But playing against Man City is another prospect entirely, and again, he needs to be given time to develop and grow. You can’t expect every player to hit the ground running and perform 10 out of 10 in every single game.”
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How good can Curtis Jones be?
On Sunday, City's Phil Foden was one of the standout players on the pitch, and he is just eight months older than Jones. The winger showed that he could make a major impact on a big game at a tender age, and that may have played a part in Liverpool fans being unconvinced by Jones' showing.
Yet, as Gates pointed out, the Liverpool academy product, who is valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, has been in fine form for much of the past month, directly contributing to goals in each of his last three appearances in all competitions.
His performance against City could be considered a minor setback, but it should be seen as no more than that. The midfielder has looked right at home alongside the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, and if he can put his weekend display behind him and kick on, there is no reason why he can't be a key player for Jurgen Klopp's team for many years to come.