ReactionHarvey Elliott: We're all ready to help the team - we've showed that
Brought on at half-time of Tuesday night’s Champions League tie with Lille at Anfield, the Reds No.19 provided the winning goal with the help of a deflection.
Mohamed Salah had earlier put Arne Slot’s men in front in the first half, only for the Ligue 1 visitors to level through Jonathan David just moments after being reduced to 10 men.
Elliott’s effort ensured a seventh consecutive victory in the league phase for Liverpool, who are now guaranteed a top-eight finish and automatic progress to the last 16.
It was the latest in a series of recent impacts by substitutes for Slot’s side, including an assist from Elliott as Darwin Nunez struck twice in stoppage time having been introduced at Brentford on Saturday.
“For me personally, it’s nothing I haven’t done before, I was that player kind of for half a season last season as well. So, I’m used to it,” Elliott told Liverpoolfc.com post-match.
“Not only me, other players – we’re all ready to come on and all ready to help the team. This game is about us as a squad, not individuals, not the starting XI.
“Everybody is going to be used at some point and it’s just about us making sure we’re ready, putting the work in on the training ground, [so that] when we’re called upon – not only myself but other players that have made impacts in the past couple of weeks – [we can] go out and help us out as a team and help win the game, most importantly.
“I think everyone that’s been called upon, they have showed that.”
Read on for the rest of Elliott’s reaction to the 2-1 defeat of Lille…
On how satisfying it is to have got the win on the night…
At the end of the day, it’s very satisfying. It was a tough game, I think we made it tough for ourselves at times. But to come away with the win is the most important part. We just need to rest and recover and go again this weekend.
On having to be positive in reacting to Lille’s equaliser…
I think it was a kick up the backside really, because I felt like compared to how we normally are, our standards were slacking a little bit, we became sloppy. The goal kind of gave us a boost again to get back into the way we need to play and how we’ve always been playing this season. The most important thing was to react and as a team we did that.
On that sometimes happening naturally when you feel comfortable in a game…
I think so, yeah. Especially them going down to [10 men], maybe thoughts in our heads relaxed a little bit and maybe we thought the job was done. But in football it is never done until the final whistle goes. As I said, as soon as the goal went in I felt like as a team out there we kind of lifted ourselves up again, the crowd got behind us and we just needed to keep pushing on. To come away with the win is the most important part.
On Salah reaching 50 European goals for the club on the night…
I’m lost for words with him, to be honest. I actually told him that then a minute ago and he had no clue – I think it just sums him up. He has got so many achievements in his career, it’s unbelievable. We just want him to keep getting more. I don’t think anyone deserves it more than him. He’s a great guy and for me to look up to him and learn from him, in my opinion there’s no-one better out there in the world at this moment in time. I’m trying to learn everything off him and hopefully he can set up a few more goals for me!