Harvey Elliott has encountered a stroke of bad luck as he begins life under a new head coach, finding himself sidelined with a fractured foot.
The 21-year-old has only managed to play seven minutes for Liverpool this season, with hopes of gaining more playing time with England’s U21s during the break.
However, Elliott had to return early for further medical evaluation, and according to a report in the Times, he is expected to be out of action until late October.
During training with the Young Lions, Elliott felt discomfort, leading to a diagnosis that has dealt a significant blow to his aspirations of breaking into the team.
With Liverpool set to play seven matches across three competitions starting on Saturday, there was an expectation of rotation under Arne Slot.
The Guardian reports that Liverpool are hopeful the setback is not severe, with Elliott aiming for a return in the first game after the October international break against Chelsea.
That fixture on October 20 is 40 days away, which means a potential absence of up to six weeks, ruling out a call-up to the senior England squad under former manager Lee Carsley.
Carsley praised Elliott as one of the promising young talents emerging, expressing hope that this injury does not derail his eventual call-up.
Games Elliott will miss
Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League – Saturday, September 14, 3pm
AC Milan (A) – Champions League – September 17, 8pm
Bournemouth (H) – Premier League – Saturday, September 21, 3pm
West Ham (H) – League Cup – September 24/25
Wolves (A) – Premier League – Saturday, September 28, 5.30pm
Bologna (H) – Champions League – Wednesday, October 2, 8pm
Crystal Palace (A) – Premier League – Saturday, October 5, 12.30pm
On a positive note for Slot, Curtis Jones has returned to full training after missing the last two games, while Alexis Mac Allister had limited game time for Argentina due to fitness concerns.
Additionally, Federico Chiesa has utilized the break to regain fitness and will be a viable option in various attacking positions.
