Harvey Elliott says Pascal Struijk’s tackle was not a red card and calls his ankle injury a ‘freak accident'
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Updated 13/09/2021 at 22:44 GMT
Harvey Elliott suffered a dislocated ankle as Pascal Struijk saw red for a tackle on the 18-year-old Liverpool player. The incident has led to much debate since the Premier League game on Sunday, but Elliott has called it a “freak accident” and insists his opponent did not deserve to be sent off at Elland Road.
'We were far from perfect' - Klopp after Liverpool beat Leeds
Harvey Elliott lays no blame on Pascal Struijk after the Liverpool midfielder suffered a serious ankle injury against Leeds on Sunday.
Struijk was given a straight red for a tackle which resulted in Elliott being stretchered off and taken to hospital.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said his player had dislocated his ankle, but despite facing a lengthy period on the sidelines, Elliott has leapt to the defence of Struijk amid debate over the severity of the tackle.
"Wasn't his fault whatsoever!” Elliott said in an Instagram message.
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.
Elliott said he was "absolutely devastated" to suffer the injury but has vowed to come back “faster, fitter and stronger”.
"I'm of course absolutely devastated with what happened yesterday at Leeds, but have been totally overwhelmed by the love and support shown to me by the entire football world following the injury," Elliott said on Instagram.
"Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out or sent messages to me and my family, it means so much to us. Also a massive thanks to everyone inside Elland Road for the reception you gave me immediately after it happened.
"I am now fully focused on my recovery and will give everything in my rehabilitation to be back out there as soon as I can."
Elliott will require surgery in the coming days, while Liverpool thanked Leeds General Infirmary in a statement on Sunday.
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'We were far from perfect' - Klopp after Liverpool beat Leeds
"Harvey, his family and Liverpool FC would like to place on record their thanks to the paramedics and all the staff at Leeds General Infirmary for the care and treatment given," the club said.
Klopp added: "It's a bad injury to his ankle. I heard it was dislocated so we could put it back and he's now in hospital. We have to wait, obviously. He played an incredible game and is an incredible player who is out.
"Do I want such a young boy early in his career to have this experience? No, but now it's the case so we have to be there and we will be there. We'll play football without him but we will wait for him as well because obviously he's a top player.
"We all saw the ankle was not in the right place and the medical team put it in the right place. There is not a lot of good things to say, otherwise it is a bad injury. We have to wait for further examinations and scans."
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