Mere days after scoring an emotional first league goal for the Reds in the 9-0 romp over Bournemouth, Elliott’s latest man-of-the-match outing underlined why he has been arguably the shining light of a testing opening month to the campaign, beginning the season on the bench but now firmly ensconced in the midfield three as he was 12 months ago until the serious ankle injury suffered at Leeds United. The teenager now faces the latest test of his burgeoning Liverpool career with a first Goodison derby on Saturday. But having already started at the San Siro, Old Trafford and Elland Road while scoring in a League Cup final penalty shoot-out at Wembley, Elliott has shown himself unfazed by the big occasion, mature beyond his tender years.
Jurgen Klopp said: “First and foremost he is a wonderfully-raised boy. When you see him playing you think ‘wow for a 19-year-old…’, but mostly it is all about the background and where he is coming from and how he was raised. Since he is here from the first day the players really took him under their wings. He didn’t get treated like a 17, 18 or now like a 19-year-old boy. That is why he is in the middle of everything, which is absolutely helpful. We all forgot how good he was a year ago and he was a year younger before all the rubbish things happened. That’s the case, he is just that good. That’s Harvey, a real talent but we all need luck in moments. Let’s just hope that he can go through this and develop and build on this wonderful basis.”
While more than three years have passed since his arrival from Fulham, Elliott has made only 26 appearances for Liverpool of which 17 have been as a starter. Last season was severely restricted by serious injury, while the previous term he excelled in the Championship at Blackburn Rovers. And Klopp is mindful not to place any great expectation on the teenager’s shoulders.
Jurgen Klopp added: “If you want to write whatever you want then write it. It cannot be positive enough with the impression we have got now so far, but all the rest is not about that now going too early in a career, saying what he can reach and should reach. Can we judge what he can reach? Nobody knows that. That’s why I am completely calm with it. It’s great. He didn’t get different treatment since he performed outstandingly well, compared with the treatment he got before. He is the same boy. We literally love him because he is outstanding as a person as well. I cannot tell you ‘shh, don’t talk about him’. Do what you want but without my coloured pictures.”
Jurgen Klopp is confident Darwin Nunez will not be riled by any Goodison provocation as the Liverpool boss considers handing the returning striker a derby debut. That incident has raised inevitable questions over the temperament of the 23-year-old, with the Goodison crowd likely to target the Uruguay international for particular attention. Klopp, though, doesn’t expect the Everton defence to look to deliberately provoke Nunez – and believes they would be wasting their time doing so in any case.
Jurgen Klopp said: “He is a wonderful young man, honestly, but he has emotions as well. We didn’t speak for the full 15 days to him about it (the red card) telling him ‘you have to calm down’. Of course we told him, not only now but now especially (against Everton). I think Luis Suarez told him, I’m not sure they spoke privately but probably they did via news and using some media. That will happen but it happens to others as well, that’s how it is, you just have to ignore it and use it. Our ideas and how we want to think in these situations is that we pay back with football. I don’t think (James) Tarkowski and (Conor) Coady are famous for too much this kind of talking during the game. Most of the things he doesn’t understand anyway, but you don’t have to be too creative with it. I don’t think the two boys are like this, but who knows? We will see.”
Klopp has instead urged Nunez – who had previously been sent off only once in his career for two bookable offences – to use any physical attention to his advantage as he aims to resume a burgeoning Liverpool beginning that saw him net in each of his first two games.
Jurgen Klopp said: “If Darwin plays then he has to be ready for these things definitely, that is clear. But when a player is talking to you a lot or is really physical, then he is not in his own game, and he (Nunez) has to use these kind of moments as well. If the other one is too busy wanting to distract him, you just have to use it from a football point of view. For the Crystal Palace game, when the defender is searching for this constant contact, then go from there and you decide when you start the movement, these kind of things.”
Assessing the red card,
Jurgen Klopp added: “It was a lot that came together for the boy. It is all new, it was has first home game, it was a lot of excitement, the emotional level you go into a game is already here (holds hand up high), so you don’t need a lot to be a bit too emotional. The two weeks (training without playing) helped for sure, you can see it. Will it never happen again? I don’t know, but I am pretty sure nothing will happen in the next game.”
Jordan Henderson will miss his first Goodison derby under Klopp due to a hamstring problem that forced him off during Wednesday’s 2-1 home win over Newcastle United, the skipper joining Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Calvin Ramsay and Ibrahima Konate on the sidelines.
