Jonjo Shelvey will once again go into a game against Liverpool with the words of his manager loud in his ears but this time more of an encouraging note which we all hope will lead the player to write the headlines for the right reasons.

When the Swans were beaten at Anfield back in December it looked like it could have been the end of the road for Shelvey and his Swansea City career after a performance where he scored an own goal and received a four match ban after video evidence showed him elbowing Emre Can.

It came just days after Garry Monk questioned the player's performances in a move that I maintain was designed to motivate him against his former club but seemed to have the opposite effect with Shelvey criticised widely for his performance against Liverpool in what was one of the Swans worst of the season.

It has never been a dull moment for Shelvey against his former club with two goals to his name but a series of errors as well that has given the Reds goals including two at the Liberty last season in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

But since returning from the four match ban for that elbow on Can it has been a series of improving performances for Shelvey which has seen him score the winning goal at Southampton as well as having the shot that was deflected off the back of Bafetimbi Gomis for the winner against Manchester United.

So it is with confidence back flowing that he heads out against his former side tonight with his manager hoping that this time he creates the headlines for the right reasons

"Jonjo's in good form. He's had a very good month, showing bits of what we know he can do and what we're pushing him to do.

"He's knuckled down this month and shown a real good level of performance, and now he must make sure he finishes the season as strongly as possible.

"Whenever you play against a former club it's probably highlighted that bit more. I know he's really fond of Liverpool, he always wants to show he can do well against them and hopefully he can do that."

The key to shelve creating those right headlines is the right mental attitude. He needs to go into the game knowing that he has to do the right things but not at all costs. Against Liverpool he seems to try that much harder and all too often that is at the detriment of his overall performance and that is something that we have to hope he has learned from in the games to date.

Monk believes that eventually the criticism he received midway through the season has paid benefits as he added You have to look at it as a response because of his performance levels

"His performances were probably a bit more patchy before but in the last month his game has been more complete.

"Hopefully he'll continue that and get better, because there's a lot more to come from Jonjo.

"We're trying to get that out of him. It's about him maturing because he's still a young player."

Photo: Action Images

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