Liverpool boss Arne Slot ruled out recalling Harvey Elliott from his difficult loan spell at Aston Villa after Alexander Isak was ruled out for a “couple of months” with a broken leg.
Slot also urged his depleted Liverpool squad to “roll their sleeves up” and said his attention was on the upcoming Premier League games against Wolves and Leeds United and not on a January move for Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.
The Premier League champions will be without Isak, Mohamed Salah, who it the Africa Cup of Nations until January, and the suspended Dominik Szoboszlai when they host Wolves on Saturday, while Conor Bradley and Cody Gakpo were described as “50-50”.
Elliott has not played for a Premier League game for Aston Villa since September, with the 22-year-old frozen out of Unai Emery’s plans after joining the club on a season-long loan with a £30m obligation to buy, but only if Elliott makes a certain number of appearances.
Elliott struggled for minutes under Slot last season - making just six starts in all competitions and not starting a Premier League game until Liverpool were crowned champions - but the versatile forward could have become an option to help the Reds through a difficult period.
Semenyo, meanwhile, has been linked with Liverpool and the 25-year-old forward has a £65m release clause that is active in January. Manchester United and Manchester City have also been linked with a move for the Bournemouth star, who has scored eight league goals this season.
”My only thoughts are on the upcoming two games,” Slot said. “Two difficult ones again, two home games. I think it's a time for the players we do have available to do what they've done so many times, to roll their sleeves up, and not only our players, but our fans as well to help us in the best possible way to get the results we want.
“The players that are available need to give everything they have and the fans, as they usually do and I expect them to do now again as well, will help us. That is where my focus is.”
When asked if Liverpool had explored the possibility of recalling Elliott from his loan, Slot replied: “No, Harvey is an Aston Villa player and he is supposed to be going there for a season. So, questions about him, the best thing to ask is Aston Villa - they are doing really well, by the way.”
