Harvey Elliott is set for a massive season at Liverpool and should play an exciting supporting role to the main cast of superstars at Anfield.
With Darwin Nunez arriving this summer for a huge fee, he will undoubtedly be the starring man in the central attacking role alongside Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz on the wings.
Sadio Mane has left the club and his absence will no doubt be felt keenly even with Jurgen Klopp adding Nunez to his incredible side.
Yet, it’s hard not too feel overcome with excitement at the thought of watching a classic centre-forward play at Anfield again.
Roberto Firmino has starred in a false nine role for the Reds while Diogo Jota has been quietly phenomenal since joining Liverpool.
We can’t forget the impact that Mane made in a false nine role last season either.
But Nunez gives me the childhood excitement that I felt when Fernando Torres left Atletico Madrid to join Liverpool in 2007.
It’s actually 3 days since the anniversary of El Niño’s switch to Anfield.
Fernando Torres signed for Liverpool on this day in 2007.
Prime El Niño. The streets will never forget 🔥
(via @LFC)pic.twitter.com/AWAx8AgfgO
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 4, 2022
Yet despite the obvious excitement at seeing another channel-running, defender bullying, goalscoring brute of a no.9 join Liverpool, it’s Harvey Elliott that could steal the show this season.
Like most clubs, Liverpool fans love very few things more than the sight of a young starlet coming through the ranks to make it big on Merseyside.
Elliott may not be a Scouser but he joined Liverpool when he was 17 after becoming the youngest ever Premier League player at 16 years and 30 days when he made his debut for Fulham.
Now 19, expectation and hype around the teenager is at fever pitch with clips emerging from training, showcasing his incredible touch and control combined with the speed and ferocity associated with Jurgen Klopp’s football.
Harvey Elliott looking really sharp in training today 💥 pic.twitter.com/8luOs6hgK3
— Watch LFC (@Watch_LFC) July 5, 2022
Last season, he was set back with a horrible-looking ankle injury that fortunately wasn’t a broken as it first appeared to be.
Scans after the game revealed ligament damage, ruling him out for 140 days.
The reaction from Mohamed Salah at the time was a sign of how much pain Elliott was in.
It cut him down at a time when he was flying, starting regularly on the right-hand side of the Reds’ midfield.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Salah formed a devastating partnership with Elliott on the right side of the pitch complete with creativity, finishing and sumptuous link-up play.
Harvey Elliott was fouled more times than any other player against Burnley (5).
A tricky customer. 🪄 pic.twitter.com/81cY9GKi60
— Squawka (@Squawka) August 21, 2021
Like many at Anfield, I was super impressed by Harvey Elliott today. Burnley kept kicking lumps out of him but he kept getting up and kept wanting the ball. For an 18 y/o to come into this Liverpool team and not just fit in, but stand out, is incredible.
— Ste Hoare (@stehoare) August 21, 2021
Heading into the 2022/23 season, Elliott is faced with competing with Salah on the right-hand side of the pitch while also trying to break into the midfield that took Liverpool within touching distance of a historic quadruple.
I really hope gets as much game time as he did at the start of last season so that we can see him develop further in such an exciting period of his career.
