Jurgen Klopp often admits his regrets, but believes he has one this season.
They are also without Harvey Elliott, the Liverpool midfielder who played in Mo Salah’s absence and who inspired him in a more central role this season. But as the bid for Liverpool’s name began to unravel, Elliott failed to start the decisive games against Manchester United, Crystal Palace or Everton.
The 21-year-old Elliott was inspired by last week’s win over Tottenham to showcase his quality and proved to be a major asset to new boss Arne Slot. “That’s not how I step back and think, ‘Okay, what have we all done here?And there?'” Klopp said ahead of Monday’s stop at Aston Villa.
“But if there’s one thing I regret a little bit, it’s maybe Harvey didn’t play enough. It was in a very vital and intense period. In January, [with] a lot of injuries, he played really well, he was probably our most productive player, right winger, right midfielder, all that kind of stuff.
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“Everybody came back and he had minutes here and there and then he didn’t start again. [He] came in [and had] a big impact, but it’s really smart that he was able to show that.
Liverpool have little to play for on Monday with Champions League qualification confident and Manchester City and unsuccessful Arsenal above them, but it is a possibility for others like Elliott to belatedly claim a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024.
Elliott was not a popular pick for the Three Lions. Klopp was hesitant to get involved in this debate, but insists Elliott has what it takes to be an asset in Germany. “If I could help Harvey [to be part of the England squad], I would say yes, but it’s just a public discussion,” he said. “He didn’t do anything, but other people will find an explanation as to why he wasn’t there.
“Maybe kids read it and feel bad. He’s in a great moment and if someone needs to choose him, they give him everything he needs. You can pack your suitcase in an instant, it’s not a problem. But I will not participate in this discussion. “
Elliott is determined to end the season on a high for Klopp. “The last few weeks haven’t been smart enough and we wanted to do a lot more, but with the crowd we have, in the last two games we need to come out strong,” he told the Reds’ website. “We just need to win both.
“We have the Champions League next season, that’s where this club belongs and deserves to be. There will be more special nights and we will be able to fix things next season.
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