Harvey Elliott is "angry and frustrated" with his lack of Liverpool playing time as the midfielder opened up on "very honest" talks with Arne Slot.
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Elliott emerged as the super sub in the UCLScored the winner against PSG in the last-16Aggrieved due to fringe role in Liverpool squadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Elliott, 21, made a decisive impact in Liverpool’s Champions League round-of-16 first-leg clash against Paris Saint-Germain. Introduced in the 85th minute in place of Egyptian talisman Mohamed Salah, he scored the winning goal with his first touch, sealing a crucial 1-0 victory at the Parc des Princes.
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Elliott has made 18 appearances this campaign but has started just four matches. His opportunities have been further limited this season due to an injury setback as the midfielder fractured his foot while on international duty in September, disrupting his momentum.
WHAT ELLIOTT SAID
After his match-winning performance in Paris, Elliott revealed that he has held conversations with Slot regarding his limited minutes.
"Very honest conversations and open conversations," he said. "It's down to me to put the work in, to be honest, and show him everything that he's told me. I'm trying to work on it, I'm trying to improve and I'm trying to get in this team.
"At the same time, I feel like I can't get too angry and frustrated because quite frankly the team is doing amazing. As I said, it's a team game. It's just not about me. I just need to make sure that I'm ready in moments like tonight where I can contribute. Just make sure I'm in the right mind frame to come on and influence the game.
"There are periods of time where I want to be playing and it's not happening. But moments like tonight, it keeps me motivated and the hunger is still within me to go out and show what I can do and influence the game as much as I can. I think not only myself, but any football player would want to play each and every game. It's just not humanly possible, you just need to wait for your moments. And nights like tonight, just enjoy it and take the opportunity."
DID YOU KNOW?
Elliott also highlighted how his experience at a young age has helped him navigate these challenges, having already played 150 games for Liverpool since joining from Fulham in 2019.
"I'm still young, it's a hard thing to understand in my head really. I've played 150 games for Liverpool, and I feel like I'm very experienced in terms of that aspect," he said.
"So there are moments within the season where I am getting angry, I am getting frustrated because I want to play, but at the same time I need to respect the situation, I need to respect the manager's decisions. Some games I'm needed, some games I'm not. That's just how football is. That's why I feel like we're in the position that we are in this season so far because of his decisions."