Jurgen Klopp described Harvey Elliott’s return as a ‘fairy tale’ as the Liverpool boss heaped praise on the youngster after a goalscoring return.
When Harvey Elliott broke his ankle against Leeds United back in September last year, nobody envisaged an early return for the talented youngster. Usually, such an injury leads to at least a year out of the game. Everyone rued the mishap as the youngster was playing so well before that. He was tipped to have a big season for the Merseysiders, before the twist of fate.
However, against the odds, the teenager came back to full training recently and then subsequently stepped on the field as a substitute during Liverpool’s FA Cup win over Cardiff on Sunday afternoon.
Elliott marked his return with a spectacular goal, netting Liverpool’s third against the Bluebirds. The strike sealed the match and the Reds’ progression to the fifth round of the cup competition. Jurgen Klopp was ecstatic after the teenager’s display and praised both the player and the medical staff for their efforts.
As quoted by Sky Sports, Klopp said, “He was unlucky with the injury but then lucky with the whole process afterwards. Everything has gone well. He did an incredible job, and the medical department did an incredible job.
“He was patient coming back, and he’s still a fearless boy and a great footballer. There are not a lot of good things when you get an injury like that, but when you are that young, you deal with it better. Getting this goal was a really touching moment.”
Klopp then went on to talk more about Elliott and hailed the teenager’s mentality, especially after suffering the injury he did. “Probably his biggest talent is how ready mentally he is out there. He is a kid, yes, but on the pitch, not so much.
“When he got the injury, the next day or two days later, I saw him at the training ground, and I was in a worse mood than he was. He was like, ‘Come on boss, head up, I will be back’. He is an exceptional talent in a lot of departments,” he said.
The return to action of Elliott will certainly have pleased Liverpool fans like it did Klopp. The 18-year-old will now be hoping to build on his display against Cardiff and reclaim his spot in the starting XI by recapturing his early-season form.
