Jurgen Klopp defends Harvey Elliott as FA approach him for picking up flare after Carabao Cup final win vs Chelsea
Speaking in a press conference on Tuesday, as quoted by the Mirror, Jurgen Klopp has defended Harvey Elliott whilst admitting that it was a mistake for him to pick up a red flare after the EFL Cup final.
18-year-old Harvey Elliott has been with Liverpool since 2019. After a promising start to the season, he suffered a horrific ankle injury against Leeds United back in September which ruled him out for 5 months. Despite the injury setback, the English teenage sensation has bounced back strongly.
The English starlet is a versatile player who can play both in the forward line and as a midfielder. He has predominantly played as a right-winger throughout his career, although this season, Klopp has played him as a part of his midfield three.
The former Fulham starlet was initially not supposed to take part in the final against Chelsea. An injury to Thiago Alcantara during the warm-up meant that Elliott was a last-minute inclusion in the matchday squad. He eventually came on in the 79th minute, replacing club captain Jordan Henderson and even went on to score his penalty during the shootout.
Elliott was seen holding a flare while celebrating his club’s win over Chelsea after the match ended. On Monday, the FA contacted the 18-year-old for the same. When Jurgen Klopp was asked to comment on the issue, he went on to say that it was a mistake by Harvey Elliott but he could understand why the mistake was made.
“Outside he’s still a little bit more of a boy, but that’s not a problem”
“He made a mistake. I understand 100 per cent [why it’s not acceptable] and I will tell him.”
Klopp went on to say that he will speak to Elliott and promised that such a mistake would not be repeated. He said that the young player got carried away in the moment and that it was natural for that to happen to an 18-year-old.
“I understand 100 per cent why it’s not OK, but in that moment – I got carried away and I’m nearly four times as old as he is – it can happen.”
What next for Elliott?
Right now, there seems to be no inclination that he will face a punishment of any sort from the FA for his actions. Elliott will be hoping to put this incident behind him and concentrate on his game.
Liverpool are still competing in 3 different competitions this season. Despite just being 18-years-old, Klopp trusts Harvey Elliott a lot. The German manager will be hoping for his teenage starlet to put all this noise aside and focus on his game- as he has done during the entirety of his short professional career.
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We play against Norwich City tonight in a game that would be important for us if we want to win four trophies this season. The English youngster did not start against the Blues, so it would not be wrong to think that he could get a start against the PL minnows tonight.
As for his behaviour with the flare, it is only natural for there to be backlash considering it is something football fans receive a lot of stick for. If an action is prohibited for fans inside the stadium, then players must be held to similar standards too. However, with a teacher like Klopp having taken Elliott under his wings, it is highly unlikely we see the mistake being repeated again.
