Milton Keynes: Harvey Elliott became the youngest player ever to start a competitive match for Liverpool as the winger played in Wednesday’s 2-0 League Cup win at Milton Keynes Dons aged 16 years and 174 days old.
Elliott is the second-youngest player in Liverpool history after Jerome Sinclair, then aged 16 years and six days, featured as a substitute against West Bromwich Albion in September 2012. He belied his tender age with a confident display that almost brought a memorable goal when he twice fired against the crossbar. “Sixteen years old still and this kind of footballer, it is good for us,”
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said of Elliott after goals from James Milner and Ki-Jana However earned a last 16 tie against Arsenal. ‘He is a brilliant boy, takes the situation really well, wants to learn and he will always be a special player in moments but his overall game is really, really good. He was a bit unlucky otherwise he would have scored, he is a good player but they are all good. “We have no bad young players and that is why it is important we can give them these matches and try to continue like this.”
Breaking records is nothing new to the highly-rated Elliott, who became the youngest to play in the League Cup when he appeared for Fulham in a third-round tie against Millwall last season at the age of 15 years and 174 days.
Following his summer move to the Champions League winners, Elliott hasn’t had to wait long to write his name in the Liverpool record books. The English teenager was making his debut in the third round clash at Stadium MK as Klopp has left his established stars back on Merseyside to prepare for Saturday’s match against Sheffield United in the Premier League. Elliott made just two Premier League appearances for Fulham as the Cottagers were relegated last season. But his vast potential persuaded Liverpool to bring him to Anfield and he had already impressed Klopp during pre-season before scoring for the club’s Under-21s in a recent Football League Trophy game against Oldham.