Liverpool are blessed with a number of exceptionally gifted young players in the squad right now.
Not only have they seen the likes of Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah steam through into the first-team, but they also have some top talent in the academy, too.
This week, following the international break, Jurgen Klopp saw fit to call up some of these youngsters to senior training.
One making his first appearance was Kieran Morrison. The 17-year-old has been tipped for big things and could be one to keep an eye on this season.
But amid the clamour for Morrison and co, Liverpool supporters sometimes forget about Harvey Elliott. The 20-year-old has today claimed that people often don’t realise just how young he is. Well, yesterday those same people were given a reminder of how special a talent Elliott is.
Liverpool sent Harvey Elliott reminder
It really is easy to forget that Elliott is only 20. Having been at Liverpool for five years now, he’s racked up over 100 appearances for the club he supported as a boy.
But after joining in 2019, Elliott has actually only been at Liverpool for four of those five seasons. The other one was spent on-loan in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers.
The then 17-year-old was terrific for Blackburn during the 2020/21 season. How good was Elliott? Well, a post from Opta on X last night helped to illustrate the point.
“Jobe Bellingham has scored seven Championship goals this season, the most by a player aged 18 or younger in a Championship season since Harvey Elliott scored seven in 2020-21 for Blackburn. Talents,” wrote the football data specialists.
Unfortunately for Harvey, it’s likely that Bellingham will eventually own this record outright. Elliott managed seven goals in 41 Championship games. Jobe has seven games of the season left to get one more. Still, a gentle reminder of what a talent we’ve got on our hands.
Elliott coming into his own
The reason we sometimes forget just how good Elliott is, is – ironically – because of how good he is.
It isn’t normal for a 20-year-old to have played more than 100 games for Liverpool. Then again, it’s not exactly ordinary for a 15-year-old to get game-time for a Premier League club. But Elliott did that, too.
Because he doesn’t play or act like such a young player, we don’t treat Elliott like one. Just look at his performances for England’s U21 team recently. Manager Lee Carsley’s called him ‘brilliant.’ Elliott’s too good for that level.
At times, Harvey is definitely taken for granted at Liverpool. He may not be the flashiest at the club, but he’s quietly had an exceptional season. Perhaps this little stat can remind a few that he is a special young player who’s been playing ahead of his years ever since he joined the club. Give him his flowers.