Jurgen Klopp provides initial Harvey Elliott diagnosis as Leeds boss Bielsa drawn on Struijk red card appeal

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has, on Sunday evening, provided an early update on the wellbeing of Harvey Elliott, after the midfielder was stretchered off with a serious injury during the club’s meeting with Leeds United.

Reds cruise

Klopp and co. got their Premier League campaign back underway a short time ago.

In the club’s first outing on the back of the international break, Liverpool made the trip to Elland Road, keen to join Chelsea and Manchester United on ten points atop the English top-flight table.

And, when all was said and done in Yorkshire, this is precisely what the visitors managed.

An utterly dominant display ultimately culminated in the Reds emerging on the right side of a 3-0 scoreline, to make it three wins from four to open the season.

Mohamed Salah opened the evening’s scoring, slotting home from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross to etch his name into the Premier League’s history books:

“He joins the club in the Premier League!”

Mohamed Salah’s 100th Premier League goal puts Liverpool in front against Leeds!

📺 #LEELIV on Sky Sports PL or follow: https://t.co/f369wKlXlC pic.twitter.com/dAeuAQxuEZ

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 12, 2021

Next on target was Fabinho early in the 2nd-half, before Sadio Mane rounded out a comfortable evening’s work for Liverpool with a 3rd deep into injury-time.

‘Massive pain’

As outlined above, though, it was not the one-sided nature of the 90 minutes at Elland Road which in fact proved the major talking point stemming from this evening’s action.

Instead, this came in the form of a serious injury picked up by Liverpool starlet Harvey Elliott.

After a challenge in the middle of the park left the 18-year-old grounded and in evident pain, medical personnel quickly flooded the pitch.

Elliott, in turn, was fixed with an oxygen mask, before being stretchered from proceedings to rapturous applause from both the home and away contingent in attendance.

LEEDS, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Harvey Elliott of Liverpool applauds the fans as he leaves the pitch on a stretcher following an injury during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Liverpool at Elland Road on September 12, 2021 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Speaking in his post-match interview, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was therefore inevitably asked for an update on the wellbeing of his up-and-coming midfield talent.

And the German went on to confirm that Elliott’s injury is indeed a ‘bad’ one, with initial suggestions having pointed towards a dislocated ankle:

Klopp on Harvey Elliott:

“Harvey Elliott is in hospital, it is a bad ankle injury for sure. It looked like it was dislocated, the medical department put it back. Massive pain, shock for him, for us and we don’t know more. We have to wait.” #awlive [bbc]

— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) September 12, 2021

Elsewhere in the post-match media duties at Elland Road on Sunday, Marcelo Bielsa was too asked for his take on the incident.

Pascal Struijk, the man unfortunately responsible for Elliott’s injury, was subsequently sent for an early bath on the back of a VAR check, but the Leeds boss was quick to assure that there was absolutely no malice behind the versatile defender’s challenge:

Bielsa said he thought Struijk challenge wasn’t a foul or malicious – but did say Struijk’s follow through seemed to catch Elliott. “These types of (tackle) are totally frequent.”

“I regret dearly that such a young player playing at such a high level has been interrupted.”

— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) September 12, 2021

Amid suggestions that an appeal could even be launched owing to the fact that, upon replays being broadcast, Struijk’s challenge looked frankly innocuous, Bielsa continued:

On the possibility of an appeal, Bielsa said: “For me the referee decides. He has enough resources to make the decision. I don’t know why the decision wasn’t immediate but I never like to (question) the decisions the referee makes.” #lufc

— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) September 12, 2021

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This article was edited by
Josh Barker.

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Premier League table

#	Team	MP	D	P
1	Manchester United	4	8	10
2	Chelsea FC	4	8	10
3	Manchester City	4	10	9
4	Brighton & Hove Albion	4	2	9
5	Tottenham Hotspur	4	0	9
6	West Ham United	4	5	8
7	Liverpool FC	3	5	7
8	Everton FC	3	4	7
9	Leicester City	4	-2	6
10	Brentford FC	4	1	5
11	Crystal Palace	4	0	5
12	Aston Villa	4	-2	4
13	Wolverhampton Wanderers	4	-1	3
14	Southampton FC	4	-2	3
15	Watford FC	4	-4	3
16	Arsenal FC	4	-8	3
17	Leeds United	3	-4	2
18	Burnley FC	3	-3	1
19	Newcastle United	4	-7	1
20	Norwich City	4	-10	0

Player	Team	Goals
Antonio, Michail	West Ham United	4
Fernandes, Bruno	Manchester United	4
Salah, Mohamed	Liverpool FC	3
Lukaku, Romelu	Chelsea FC	3
Calvert-Lewin, Dominic	Everton FC	3
Greenwood, Mason	Manchester United	3
Benrahma, Said	West Ham United	2
Ings, Danny	Aston Villa	2
Vardy, Jamie	Leicester City	2
Fornals, Pablo	West Ham United	2
Torres, Ferran	Manchester City	2
Gallagher, Conor	Crystal Palace	2
Ronaldo, Cristiano	Manchester United	2
Son, Heung Min	Tottenham Hotspur	2
Wilson, Callum	Newcastle United	2
Mane, Sadio	Liverpool FC	2
Maupay, Neal	Brighton & Hove Albion	2
Gray, Demarai	Everton FC	2
Jota, Diogo	Liverpool FC	2
Edouard, Odsonne	Crystal Palace	2

Player	Team	Red Cards	Yellow Cards
Pogba, Paul	Manchester United	0	3
Cooper, Liam	Leeds United	0	3
Etebo, Oghenekaro	Watford FC	0	3
Fernandes, Bruno	Manchester United	0	2
Doucoure, Abdoulaye	Everton FC	0	2
Richarlison	Everton FC	0	2
Dennis, Emmanuel	Watford FC	0	2
Duffy, Shane	Brighton & Hove Albion	0	2
Norgaard, Christian	Brentford FC	0	2
Mings, Tyrone	Aston Villa	0	2
Rodri	Manchester City	0	2
Rice, Declan	West Ham United	0	2
Struijk, Pascal	Leeds United	1	1
Tanganga, Japhet	Tottenham Hotspur	0	1
Schar, Fabian	Newcastle United	0	2
Kane, Harry	Tottenham Hotspur	0	2
Stephens, Jack	Southampton FC	0	2
Marcal, Fernando	Wolverhampton Wanderers	0	2
Moura, Lucas	Tottenham Hotspur	0	2
Jimenez, Raul	Wolverhampton Wanderers	0	2

Player	Team	Assists
Pogba, Paul	Manchester United	7
Antonio, Michail	West Ham United	3
Jesus, Gabriel	Manchester City	3
Salah, Mohamed	Liverpool FC	2
Benrahma, Said	West Ham United	2
Kovacic, Mateo	Chelsea FC	2
Saint-Maximin, Allan	Newcastle United	2
James, Reece	Chelsea FC	2
Gross, Pascal	Brighton & Hove Albion	2
Pereira, Ricardo	Leicester City	2
Alexander-Arnold, Trent	Liverpool FC	2
Ings, Danny	Aston Villa	1
Vardy, Jamie	Leicester City	1
Fornals, Pablo	West Ham United	1
Torres, Ferran	Manchester City	1
Gallagher, Conor	Crystal Palace	1
Doucoure, Abdoulaye	Everton FC	1
Zaha, Wilfried	Crystal Palace	1
Mahrez, Riyad	Manchester City	1
Grealish, Jack	Manchester City	1