In the past year, several of Harvey Elliott’s former teammates from the England Under-21 squad have made the leap to the senior team, and ahead of the match, the Liverpool star acknowledged that it’s his turn to follow suit.
The 21-year-old delivered a solid performance during a lackluster 1-0 friendly victory against Real Betis, but he truly shined in an attacking midfield position against Arsenal.
Had Diogo Jota not squandered a prime opportunity, Elliott would have recorded a remarkable trio of first-half assists, thanks to a brilliant first-time through ball for Salah’s goal and an instinctive lobbed pass for Carvalho.
The new manager, Slot, employs a playing style that aligns perfectly with Elliott’s talents, particularly in the number 10 role, allowing the adaptable player to carve out his identity at the elite level.
If he transitions from being Jurgen Klopp’s go-to squad player to a regular starter in Slot’s revamped system, an England debut could soon be within reach.
Regarding Elliott’s performance, Slot remarked: “Two fantastic assists, but it’s important to recognize that the team played a part in creating those chances for him – by building from the back and positioning him, or another number 10, correctly. Ultimately, it’s up to him to capitalize on those moments, and he did that beautifully today with two assists.”
“However, if I may be critical, I think there were possibly two other instances where he could have performed better, but that’s part of what the team is facilitating for him.”
