Liverpool fans should be excited about the potential that Harvey Elliott is showing this season.
That’s according to current Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray. Speaking to BBC Sport Mowbray, who managed Elliott at Blackburn Rovers, hailed the Liverpool youngster’s talent.
The staff [at Blackburn] would debate whether he was good enough to get into Klopp’s team. I would never question his talent, I just wasn’t sure how he’d displace those players at Liverpool. And yet there he is,” said the coach.
“I know how much he loves the game. At the core is this love of football and that drives the very best players. I wouldn’t compare Harvey to Paul Gascoigne, but the sheer traits of the love of the ball and the game – they had it.
“They can do anything with the ball. Jurgen has seen the talent and trusts him. I would be excited if I was a Liverpool supporter about the continued emergence of Harvey Elliott.”
Elliott already trusted by Klopp
Liverpool’s season so far has been fraught with disappointment and, at times, sheer despair. Amidst all the wreckage though, Elliott has stood out as a shoot of hope.
He perhaps hasn’t been quite as good as some would have you believe. But nevertheless, his season so far has been one of undoubted progress.
Having played just 11 times in the whole of last season, the 19-year-old is already just one short of that this time around.
Eight of those ten appearances have been starts. Although much of that is owing to the absence of others in the Liverpool midfield, he undoubtedly has the trust of Klopp to start pretty much any game.
Not all good for Liverpool’s No.19
Unfortunately, Elliott’s presence in the team has coincided with a dip in Liverpool’s form. Obviously, this can’t be put down to the youngster’s inclusion. But some have questioned whether he offers the under-fire Trent Alexander-Arnold as much protection as someone like Jordan Henderson.
As Elliott has a tendency to come inside onto his left-foot, he has also perhaps forced Mohamed Salah to play a little wider.
Neither of these issues are necessarily problems for the England U21 star moving forward. He obviously has bags of technical ability and is also relatively versatile.
But he’s still a teenager. There’s no need for Elliott to be playing every week for Liverpool at this stage. Take his progress slowly and steadily and he could well be a deserved regular starter before too long, though.
