Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott’s confidence has been boosted by the trust shown in him by manager Jurgen Klopp.
The 19-year-old has made 22 appearances already this season, including 10 Premier League starts and four in the Champions League.
He came off the bench last week to take the match-winning penalty in last week’s Carabao Cup shoot-out win over Derby by a much-changed youthful side.
“It is always a bonus when the manager tells you ‘you’re fifth’ (to take a penalty), it shows the confidence and trust he has in me,” Elliott told the PA news agency.
“To have the pressure on me to score the last penalty is more privilege than pressure and I just had to go out and dispatch the penalty, which I did.
“I’m happy I’ve been given that opportunity to show that they trust in me to take the last penalty and potentially win it for us.
“I need to step up and when I am called upon I need to make sure I am there and I am ready.”
Injury problems in Liverpool’s midfield have afforded Elliott more opportunities than he might have expected but he has seized his chance and has found he has been preferred to some more senior players on occasions.
He has already made more appearances this campaign than in any other since his debut in 2019, although he did miss five months with an horrific fracture dislocation of an ankle last season, and his tally of four goals is his best at Anfield.
“I am loving football, playing here for Liverpool – my boyhood club – and every chance I get and every time I step out on the pitch wearing this shirt it means the world to me,” he added.
“I just want to leave everything on the pitch and perform in the best possible way and give everything to the team to help them out.
“I am learning from each and every player, every single day. To have a world-class team around me is one of my dreams as is to learn from someone like Thiago (Alcantara), who has been through a lot and made so many appearances for top-class teams.
“Even Fabinho, (Jordan) Henderson, (James) Milner, Ox (Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain), these guys have been around for years and have so many qualities in their game, so I’m trying to learn from them.
“I try to add it into my game and make sure I perform in training and on the pitch and just leave it all out there on the pitch and offer what I can for the team.”
Elliiott’s fellow youngster Ben Doak has signed a professional contract with Liverpool just five days after making his first-team debut.
The Scot, a £600,000 summer signing from Celtic who turned 17 on Friday, also came off the bench for an entertaining cameo against Derby has impressed in the youth teams, playing for both the under-18s and under-21s, where he has scored four goals as Liverpool reached the last 16 of the UEFA Youth League.
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