Why 19-year-old star won't fall off like Dele Alli - young midfielder stars in Liverpool defeat

Liverpool may have been disappointed by their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last night, but there were positives to take from the game.

Liverpool's Harvey Elliott showed why he is a young player to watch in the 1-1 with Crystal Palace and why he's set for a big future.

Having already broken age-related records, it's no secret that Elliott is a wonderkid; at 19 years old to be starting for one of the best teams in the world is an incredible achievement.

Fans would have been disappointed with the result but would have seen something in Elliott that showed them that he will be a big player for this football club for years to come.

Why Elliott will not fall from grace like Dele Alli

We've chosen Dele Alli as an example, as he too was a former wonder-kid who had reached higher levels than Elliott currently has - but he's a good reference point as a young player who has failed to stay at the top.

Alli during 2015-2018 was not just one of the best young players in the league but he was one of the best players - period.

He enjoyed the best spell of his career between the ages of 19-22; a phase in which Elliott is just about to enter.

But following that phase, the drop-off was gradual and tough to watch as a football fan - but we believe that Elliott will not fall by the wayside as Alli did.

After all, his stats show him in the 99th percentile for shot-creating actions, progressive passes, touches in the attacking penalty area and progressive passes received per 90 - all of which sum up his game.

We believe the young Englishman won't see his career turn for the worse like Alli's because of his pure desire and work rate every time he plays.

Alli's decline was a combination of factors from the team and squad combined with his own personal failure to keep working hard to improve and maintain his high levels.

Watching Elliott last night showed that the central midfielder is hungry, determined and willing to win the ball back and then receive it whenever possible.

Looking at Alli's heatmaps over the years, there is a significant drop-off in pitch coverage from the Everton midfielder and it's a big part of why he fell off.

Elliott can be a member of this Liverpool team for years to come and he will have to add goals/assists to his game if he wants to stay a part of a title-competing team but his innate desire should put him good stead as long as he can maintain that hunger - he could turn into one of England's best midfielders for years to come.