ReactionHarvey Elliott: It's about time I scored... but I thought it was going over!
Harvey Elliott was delighted to get back on the scoresheet for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur – though he first thought his stellar finish was going over.
The No.19 provided the last of the Reds’ four goals as they beat Spurs 4-2 at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
Following strikes by Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo, a sweet effort from the edge of the area from Elliott swirled into the top left corner at the Kop end.
Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, Elliott was asked if he knew the shot was going in as soon as he struck it and replied: “You know, I thought it was [going] over, to be honest!
“I didn’t know [it was going in] until I saw it drop at the end and it went in the back of the net. It’s about time I’ve scored a goal, I think I’ve hit the bar and post and everything in the last few games.
“It’s always nice to score, especially at Anfield.”
The victory back on home soil provided a response to dropped points in Liverpool’s previous two league fixtures, a 2-0 defeat at Everton and 2-2 draw at West Ham United.
The Reds are now certain of at least third place this term, though trail Arsenal and Manchester City by five and four points respectively having fallen behind in the title race.
- Read our match report from Anfield here
On whether they played without pressure today, Elliott said: “Yeah, definitely. On top of that, there was motivation there within us all to go out and put it right.
“We all know that in the last couple of weeks we haven’t been good enough. That’s just a fact. Today was an opportunity to put it right at home, and the boys went out there and did a great job.”
Talking alongside Elliott, Gakpo said: “Everybody wanted to do that the past few weeks as well, but sometimes it doesn’t work.
“Today was a big match for us at home; what Harv said, we just went out there and enjoyed it and played together, go for goals, defended together. It was a good result.”
Gakpo had headed in Liverpool’s third goal of the contest, showing excellent technique to guide Elliott’s curling cross into the bottom left corner.
And the Dutchman’s celebration was a tribute to his newly-born son, Samuel.
He said of his goal: “It was a good cross, that’s why! And yeah, I think a good header. Very happy with that one. It was a very good ball and I only had to head it in.
“[Fatherhood] is good, very happy, very blessed. That [celebration] was one for my son.”