Harvey Elliott emerged from the bench to score with his first touch and secure Liverpool a dramatic 1-0 Champions League win at Paris Saint-Germain
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Harvey Elliott celebrates with former Liverpool player Steve McManaman after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 first leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool FC at Parc des Princes on March 05, 2025
(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Harvey Elliott has revealed being left “angry” at times by his lack of minutes this season at Liverpool – but admits the Reds' ongoing success makes it difficult to argue with the decisions of Arne Slot. Elliott came off the bench to score a dramatic 87th-minute winner with his first touch and earn the Reds a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
While the third successive Champions League game in which he has scored after netting the winner in the group stage triumph over Lille and also on target in the 3-2 dead rubber defeat at PSV Eindhoven, the 21-year-old has started only one game in the competition this season and has been restricted to purely bench duty in the Premier League.
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It is in stark contrast to last term when he made 27 starts in 53 appearances in all competitions, with Elliott hampered this campaign by injury and the strong competition for places in the Liverpool midfield.
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And the England under-21 international said of his lack of minutes since Slot's arrival last summer: "I'm still young, it's a hard thing to understand in my head really. I've played almost 150 games for Liverpool and I feel like I'm very experienced in terms of that aspect.
“So there are moments within the season where I am getting angry, I am getting frustrated because I want to play, but at the same time I need to respect the situation, I need to respect the manager's decisions.
“Some games I'm needed, some games I'm not. That's just how football is. That's why I feel like we're in the position that we are in this season so far because of his decisions. Wednesday was another one of them where it worked in our favour. Luckily I was the chosen one, you could say, to come in and get the winner.”
Elliott has held talks with Slot over his contribution, but accepts Liverpool’s impressive campaign means breaking into a winning team has been difficult.
“We've had conversations," said the midfielder. "Very honest conversations and open conversations. It's down to me to put the work in, to be honest, and show him everything that he's told me. I'm trying to work on it, I'm trying to improve and I'm trying to get in this team.
“At the same time, I feel like I can't get too angry and frustrated because quite frankly the team is doing amazing. It's a team game. It's just not about me. I just need to make sure that I'm in the right mind frame to come on and influence the game.”
Elliott added: “I've been through this before. There are periods of time where I want to be playing and it's not happening. But moments like (on Wednesday), it keeps me motivated and the hunger is still within me to go out and show what I can do and influence the game as much as I can.
“It's just about staying motivated and mentally right in the head. Any football player would want to play each and every game. It's just not humanly possible, you just need to wait for your moments, just enjoy it and take the opportunity.
“To get the winner is one thing, but especially on a Champions League night away from home, it's a very special feeling for myself and my family. I need to enjoy it somewhat.”
Elliott will be hopeful of further action in Saturday's Premier League visit of rock-bottom Southampton before the return game against PSG on Tuesday. And having witnessed at close quarters from the bench a largely dominant display from the French champions on Wednesday, the youngster acknowledges the tie is far from over.
“We know it's going to be a very tough home leg for us," he said. "Again, we know they've caused us many problems. They have really good players within their team and they showed it.
“We dug in to the very end. We fought as a team and all we could do was not concede. We're in a very good position to go to Anfield next week and hopefully play it right there again.”