Harvey Elliott has been a regular in the Liverpool first team over the last two seasons (Picture: Getty Images)
Harvey Elliot has paid tribute to the great support he receives from Mohamed Salah at Liverpool, despite the fact he was signed in the same position as the Egyptian.
Still only 20 years old, Elliot has become a regular in the Liverpool first team over the last 18 months, making 32 Premier League appearances last season and 19 so far this campaign.
Only three have been starts in the top flight this campaign as he competes with a number of players in midfield, adapting having been signed as a winger.
The former Fulham man says that Salah, who occupies the position he played when signed from the Cottagers, has only ever been helpful to the young players at Anfield.
Even when the Egyptian superstar was away with his country at the Africa Cup of Nations last month he was checking in to see how Elliot was getting on in his absence.
‘I think to the very day I retire I’ll always be learning different things from different players and Mo is a great example of that,’ Elliot told Liverpool’s matchday programme.
‘Especially because we kind of played the same position when I first joined the club. I signed as a right winger, [but] knowing that it would take a miracle to take his spot!
Mohamed Salah was injured while on international duty with Egypt (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I had to adapt my game but there were things I could take from that position into the midfield where I play now: goalscoring threat, creativity and stuff like that.
‘With Mo, he’s always trying not only to push myself but the other youngsters as well and, in all fairness, he doesn’t really need to do it.
‘He’s an icon on and off the pitch and it would be easy to just focus on himself and keep making sure he’s breaking records and so on, but he takes time out of his day to check in on us, to make sure we know that if we need anything, he’s always there to give us pointers.
‘For instance, although he was at the AFCON with Egypt, he messaged me after the Arsenal game in the last round of the FA Cup saying, “How did you find it?” and so on. They are the things he doesn’t have to do but he’s just a great human being and always wants the best for everyone.’
Salah suffered a hamstring injury on international duty with Egypt before his country were surprisingly eliminated at the last 16 stage by DR Congo.
He is unlikely to be fit for the visit of Burnley to Anfield on Saturday, but the trip to Brentford on 17 February is more likely.
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