Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has hinted that Harvey Elliott could come into contention for a start when the Reds host Southampton in Saturday’s Premier League showdown at Anfield.
The England Under-21 international has mostly been restricted to fleeting cameos in the 2024-25 top-flight season so far and is still waiting for his first Premier League start of the season, but he was the hero of the hour in midweek.
Elliott came off the bench to score the winning goal in Liverpool’s 1-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg win over Paris Saint-Germain, having replaced Mohamed Salah following a rare ineffective outing from the Egyptian.
With the second leg to come next Tuesday and Southampton propping up the Premier League standings, changes could be made by Slot, who suggested that Elliott would be among the players in contention to come into the lineup this weekend.
“Others don’t always get the playing time they deserve, Harvey Elliott is a great example of that,” Slot told reporters in Friday’s press conference. “He’s done so well for this club, he trains well but he’s in competition with Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai.
“I don’t think Mo was happy that I took him off five minutes before the end. He is a player that can score a goal for us even if he isn’t playing his best game. That’s why I hardly take him off.
“Szoboszlai, you could call him a machine. He’s the one that runs the most. That’s what makes it hard for Harvey, that’s why I like it so much how he did in only five minutes.”
Could Elliott bench Salah this weekend?
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Elliott could hardly have done more in midweek to force his way into Slot’s Premier League XI for the first time this season, although the Englishman should not be promoted at Salah’s expense.
The 32-year-old may have seen his powers wane in Paris, but he remains in hot pursuit of the Golden Boot and Playmaker Award and is still on course for the greatest individual season in Premier League history in terms of combined goals and assists.
Such is Elliott’s versatile nature that he can also occupy the number 10 role with equal competence, and Slot may go down that avenue in order to give the workhorse Dominik Szoboszlai a well-earned rest.
Slot provides Cody Gakpo injury update before Southampton
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The Liverpool boss also delivered the latest on the condition of Cody Gakpo, who was absent from the matchday squad at the Parc des Princes after suffering a fresh knock on the training pitches.
The Dutchman has endured a frustrating few weeks fitness-wise, also missing top-flight matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa and only making substitute appearances versus Newcastle United and Manchester City.
With just a few days in between the PSG win and Southampton visit, Gakpo is unsurprisingly still a serious doubt for the Saints clash, with Slot adding: “He didn’t train yesterday yet, so let’s see if he can train with us today.
“Again, [a] close call it will probably be. It’s not a long-term injury but he still had a bit of pain yesterday so he was not able to train. Let’s see where he is today, so I can’t give you the answer yet.”
Liverpool will definitely be missing Tyler Morton (shoulder), Joe Gomez (hamstring) and Conor Bradley (hamstring) on Saturday, where a win would temporarily take them 16 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table.
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