Harvey Elliott injury: what he said to Pascal Struijk, how’s his recovery going and how long will he be out?

The youngster has sent the Leeds United midfielder a classy message after having his red card appeal rejected.
By Will Rooney
Published 15th Sep 2021, 12:58 BST
Updated 15th Sep 2021, 14:22 BST
Pascal Struijk dejected after his dismissal. Picture: Getty Images Pascal Struijk dejected after his dismissal. Picture: Getty Images
Pascal Struijk dejected after his dismissal. Picture: Getty Images

Harvey Elliott has sent Pascal Struijk a classy message after Leeds United’s appeal against his red card in their 3-0 loss to Liverpool was rejected by the FA.

Struijk was given his marching orders in the 59th minute for a tackle on Elliott which caused the Reds midfielder to dislocate his ankle.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He’s now set to be on the treatment table for a sustained period.

What’s been said

Elliott felt that Struijk didn’t deserve to be sent off for his challenge despite it causing his horrific injury.

He commented on Sky Sports’ Instagram post: “Sorry about this Pascal 😒 I think it’s wrong! But it’ll soon blow over brother and you’ll be back in no time smashing it again 🙌❤️ keep positive.”

Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott suffered a serious ankle injury after a challenge from Leeds’ Pascal Struijk. Picture: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty ImagesLiverpool’s Harvey Elliott suffered a serious ankle injury after a challenge from Leeds’ Pascal Struijk. Picture: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott suffered a serious ankle injury after a challenge from Leeds’ Pascal Struijk. Picture: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

How is Elliott’s recovery going?

The former Fulham midfielder underwent surgery in London on Tuesday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Elliott posted a picture of himself on Instagram after going under the knife and wrote: “Operation was a success! Thank you so much to everyone for your amazing support. The road to recovery starts now 💪🏻 At the end of the storm there’s a golden sky.”

How long will Elliott be injured for?

At least a few months. Ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League clash against AC Milan on Wednesday, manager Jurgen Klopp admitted he expects to be without Elliott for the long term.

However, he could well be back sooner than expected.

Everton midfielder Andre Gomes suffered a similar injury against Tottenham Hotspur in November 2019.

Yet the Portuguese was back to full training less than three months later before making his playing return against Arsenal on February 23, 2020. That was a total of 112 days after his injury.

Everton’s Andre Gomes suffered a serious ankle injury in November 2019 but made a full recovery Picture: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty ImagesEverton’s Andre Gomes suffered a serious ankle injury in November 2019 but made a full recovery Picture: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Everton’s Andre Gomes suffered a serious ankle injury in November 2019 but made a full recovery Picture: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

Who will replace Elliott?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 18-year-old was making his third successive Premier League start against Leeds and was establishing himself in Klopp’s side.

However, Liverpool aren’t short of options in the middle of the park.

Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho - who netted the Reds’ second - were particularly impressive against Leeds.

On the bench was captain Jordan Henderson, who came on for Elliott, veteran James Milner and academy graduate Curtis Jones.

Related topics:Leeds UnitedPascal StruijkJordan HendersonJurgen Klopp

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.