Liverpool make Harvey Elliott under-23s decision as Benfica hint dropped

Harvey Elliott did not feature for Liverpool under-23s as they reached the final of the Lancashire Senior Cup with a defeat of Blackpool this afternoon.

Elliott has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield in recent weeks - having initially made a decent impact upon his return from a serious ankle injury in January. 

The attacking midfielder was omitted from Jurgen Klopp‘s match-day squad for Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Premier League title rivals Manchester City.

It was a third successive league game Elliott was deemed surplus to requirements for given Liverpool have a fully-fit squad to select from.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino were also not involved at City.

Elliott, who has made 10 Reds appearances this season, featured for the under-23s in a 2-2 draw against Chelsea on 2 April - the same day Klopp’s side beat Watford at Anfield.

But the 19-year-old was not handed successive outings for Barry Lewtas’ side against a strong second-string Blackpool side at the club’s Kirkby-based training ground.

The young Reds cruised to a 4-1 semi-final victory courtesy of goals from Jack Bearne, Jarell Quansah, Tyler Morton and Leighton Clarkson.

They’ll now face either Accrington Stanley or Burnley for the silverware.

As a result, it’s likely that Elliott will be named in Liverpool’s squad when they welcome Benfica to Anfield in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Wednesday.

The former Fulham starlet was on the bench for the 3-1 victory in Portugal last week.