'Wasn't his fault what so ever'
Harvey Elliott has insisted that the injury he suffered following the challenge from Leeds defender Pascal Struijk was not the defender's fault.
The 18-year-old
suffered a nasty injury in the second half of Liverpool's 3-0 victory over Leeds United yesterday afternoon, which led to Struijk receiving a red card.
After being stretched off the pitch and taken straight to hospital, it was revealed that Elliot had suffered a dislocated ankle, with surgery expected in the next few days.
It is also believed that once the 18-year-old has undergone his procedure, Liverpool will be better equipped to provide an update on his prognosis.
Despite receiving his marching orders, Struijk - who was a first-half substitute in place of the injured Diego Llorente - was desperate to ensure that Elliott was okay and issued his own apology after the game.
Posting on Instagram, the Dutchman said:
“In today's game, something happened that I would never wish on anyone.
"@HarveyElliott07, my thoughts are with you. I'm gutted and never meant for this to happen. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you back on the pitch soon."
https://twitter.com/LFCFansCorner/status/1437168369774571520
Although the 22-year-old's challenge appeared to be innocuous, he still received some criticism on social media - leading to Elliott defending him as he claimed that it wasn't the defender's fault. Positing on Instagram, Elliot said:
"Wasn't his [Pascal Struijk] fault what so ever.
"Neither was it a red card just a freak accident but these things happen in football. I'll be back stronger 100%. Thanks for all the support."
https://twitter.com/PhilHay_/status/1437426070249250822
Elliott has impressed many with how he has dealt with his first-ever serious injury - thanks in part to gifting a young fan, who suffered a broken arm in his own football match and was admitted to the same hospital as the Liverpool player, his match-worn shirt and one of his boots.
Now, he made the effort to publicly defend his fellow professional, even starting that the challenge was not a red card.
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