Liverpool can’t ignore Harvey Elliott’s latest setback at Aston Villa any longer | OneFootball

Something’s not right when one of our brightest academy graduates can’t get a look-in at Aston Villa.

Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott was supposed to gain experience, confidence, and consistency on loan under Unai Emery but instead – he’s barely playing.

According to The Athletic, the 22-year-old has been left “frustrated” and “uncertain” about his role after a run of games on the bench.

Despite impressing in pre-season and earning an early start against Crystal Palace, he’s since fallen out of favour.

Worse still, there’s no mid-season recall clause, meaning he’s stuck until at least the summer.

Elliott’s stagnation raises big Liverpool questions

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

It wasn’t meant to be like this.

Elliott’s technical quality and work rate made him a perfect fit for Emery’s system on paper but Villa’s impressive start to the campaign has pushed him down the pecking order.

In a side packed with attacking midfield options, our loanee is now being used sparingly or not at all.

It’s a worrying situation when you consider how high Liverpool once were on him.

The 22-year-old was once seen as a long-term part of our squad, now there’s a feeling he may have played his last Villa game as they try to avoid the obligation to buy clause after he features in 10 matches.

A talent Liverpool can’t afford to waste

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

It’s clear that the boyhood Red still has a lot of love for us, his Instagram post during the Liverpool vs Aston Villa game was the perfect example of this.

Yet right now, his talent is being wasted.

Every week on the bench at Villa Park feels like another setback and Slot’s Liverpool don’t have the luxury of letting players like Elliott fade away.

Whether that means a recall next summer or a change of scenery entirely, one thing’s clear – Liverpool need to help before another of our own slips through the cracks.

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