After a full and imposing pre-season under his belt, Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott had lofty ambitions this season. Could he crack a regular starting spot? The diminutive left-footed playmaker, signed amid so much promise from Fulham five years ago, certainly would not have anticipated his first start of the season coming in mid-December. But on a torrential night on the south coast, Elliott shone brightest as the Carabao Cup holders, ultimately, sneaked through at Southampton on Wednesday night.
Elliott, 21, scored the visitor’s second of the night, calmly slotting home with his weaker right foot, and was a figure of composure throughout. When the pace needed slowing, Elliott did so in his roaming midfield-wing role. When it needed speeding up, Elliott found his man, quickly, with a forward pass. In a makeshift Liverpool XI, he was the starring light.
