Jurgen Klopp and Jordan Henderson have hailed the spirit and determination shown by Harvey Elliott following his first-team comeback at the weekend.
Elliott was deployed shortly before the hour mark during Sunday's 3-1 FA Cup win over Cardiff City - and didn't take long to make an impact.
Putting the Reds three goals to the good in the 76th minute, the 18-year-old expertly controlled an Andy Robertson cross before firing a first-time finish past goalkeeper Dillon Phillips.
After enduring such a cruel injury blow back in September, this was a moment everyone inside Anfield cherished and there is hope the teenager can now play a key role in the side from now until May.
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There is a chance the former Fulham midfielder could again be called upon this evening against Leicester City as Liverpool look to keep pace with Manchester City.
Speaking ahead of the game in his programme notes, Klopp has saluted the attitude of Elliott and his ability to recognise the importance of club staff in relation to his recovery.
“I’m conscious of overplaying the situation with Harvey Elliott, because it’s critically important now we all realise he will still need time and patience to fully reintegrate and get to the consistent levels we expect of him and he expects of himself. But you’d need a heart of stone not to be moved by what happened. What a moment," he said.
“It was apparent after the game, when our players were showing their love and joy towards Harvey that there was a recurring theme: hard work pays off. And what I loved about Harvey’s own comments post-match is that he was the first to recognise the hard work wasn’t only his.
“His comeback actually started seconds after he suffered the injury and continued right up until the moment he ran back onto the Anfield pitch on Sunday in the 58th minute.
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“Chris Morgan (physio) and Jim Moxon (doctor) made critically important decisions on the pitch at Elland Road that day which protected Harvey when he was at his most vulnerable. They had a split-second to make those calls and they made all the right ones. The surgeon and doctors who cared for him in hospital likewise.
“Then when the focus turned to recovery it was Joe Lewis who picked up the baton, with a plan mapped out and overseen by Andreas Schlumberger. Harvey name-checked Joe in his post-match interview and there is a reason for that. The care and treatment he got was best-in-class. And not just physical care but emotional and mental support also.
“When it came time to be back on grass, Dave Rydings was a pivotal figure, again working with Andreas Schlumberger and Joe. My office at the AXA Training Centre overlooks the pitches and I lost count of the days I would watch those sessions and see the player get stronger with every sprint, jump and kick.
“I highlight all of this not because I think what’s happened with Harvey is in any way a miracle or even that extraordinary. The opposite actually. It’s what we expected. A top professional, even if very young, with an elite attitude to his work. Allied with knowledgeable and dedicated staff, eager to use their expertise to help make the process the best it could possibly be. "
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Echoing the comments of the Reds' boss, captain Jordan Henderson added: "I've referenced this before on these pages, but the care we receive at the club is second-to-none and I could write a book about the lengths that the staff go to in order to get us in the best possible condition.
“To put it as succinctly as I can, they go way beyond the call of duty and as captain I can speak on behalf of all of the lads when I say this is something that we are all hugely grateful for."
