Mohamed Salah is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations (Image: Getty)
Liverpool star Harvey Elliott has revealed that Mohamed Salah’s excellence on the right wing forced him to change position and develop himself as a midfielder. The playmaker has gradually adapted to playing in the more central role, and his impact at Anfield this season cannot be understated.
Elliott has made 19 Premier League appearances for Liverpool so far this season, scoring one and assisting another – though those tallies understate his influence in Jurgen Klopp’s system. The 20-year-old has injected pace and energy into the Reds’ midfield when entering the fray as a substitute, prompting conversations about whether he is worthy of starting more regularly for the Anfield outfit.
The England Under-21 international played 32 minutes against Arsenal over the weekend but was unable to prevent his side from falling to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of their title rivals. Injuries certainly hindered the Merseyside outfit’s chances at the Emirates Stadium, and notably the absence of Salah.
The Egypt international is currently sidelined with a hamstring problem that he sustained at the Africa Cup of Nations, and Elliott has shed light on the influence that the winger has had on his career. He told Liverpool’s official website: “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.
Especially because we kind of played the same position when I first joined the club. With Mo, he’s always trying not only to push himself 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.”
Elliott then revealed that, despite being in the Ivory Coast, Salah contacted him last month to speak about their 2-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup and gain an understanding of how the team felt about the performance. He continued: “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.
To have him in the team and to see what he’s accomplished is just unbelievable and it’s a pleasure to share the pitch with him.”