Liverpool’s 16-year-old midfielder Harvey Elliott is “not too far” away from making his mark on the first team, according to under-23s coach Neil Critchley. Elliott showed why Liverpool signed him from Fulham in July, despite being on the receiving end of a 5-0 League Cup quarter-final hiding from Aston Villa on Tuesday as the Reds fielded the youngest team in their history. The England youth international impressed at Villa Park and only a brilliant save from Orjan Nyland denied him a goal. Critchley defended the club’s stance in fielding a line-up comprising all academy players, with the entire first-team squad on duty in Qatar for the Club World Cup. The European champions play their Club World Cup semi-final against Mexico’s Monterrey on Wednesday.

Source: Punch December 18, 2019 12:00 UTC