'We showed good fight but wanted the three points' - Harvey Elliott on Man Utd 2-2 Liverpool

Reaction'We showed good fight but wanted the three points' - Harvey Elliott on Man Utd 2-2 Liverpool

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Harvey Elliott praised Liverpool's 'fight and courage' as they came from behind to draw 2-2 with Manchester United on Sunday, but admitted the Reds should have emerged with all three points at Old Trafford.

Jürgen Klopp's side led through Luis Diaz's first-half strike and had chances to put themselves even further ahead before the interval.

But goals after the break from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo left them facing the prospect of another painful defeat against their fierce rivals, who knocked them out of the Emirates FA Cup on the same ground only three weeks ago.

Elliott, though, won a penalty that was converted coolly by Mohamed Salah, six minutes from the end of the 90, and the Reds were able to leave with a point. They do, however, surrender top spot in the Premier League to Arsenal on goal difference as a result.

Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com afterwards, Elliott admitted he had mixed emotions about the result.

"It should have been all three," he said. "But I think at the same time we need to look at the game, and we were trailing.

"I think the boys showed unbelievable fight and courage to come back, to stay level-headed, stay in the game and get the equaliser.

"A point is better than nothing. We wanted the three points – there's no doubt about that – but a point is better than losing."

Read on for more from the No.19...

On Liverpool not being clinical enough in key moments…

Absolutely. We had many opportunities. Whether it was the final pass or the finish, it just wasn't there for us today but unfortunately that's football. But the fight and desire to keep going until the final whistle was amazing. I think as a team, as a club with the fans as well backing us, in a stadium like this when it's not easy at all, it's a credit to everyone involved. We need to keep fighting because it's going to be a very tough run now and we need to keep going.

On how pleased he was with his own contribution off the bench…

It was OK. I'm in the team to do that exactly and for me, if we don't win it means nothing. I just need to keep going, keep trying to take these opportunities and work for the team, do my bit for the team and for the badge. I just want to keep going and keep fighting until the end of the season. As I said, if it's not three points then for me personally it means nothing.

On what his instructions were coming on…

To have that good balance between Joe Gomez and I. I think it was just being on different lines, either one of us inside and one of us out wide – I'm not going to tell everything in case people listen to it! But it was just about to be free, find the ball and trying to create. I had joy out wide and I just thought, 'Why don't I stay there and let Joe run in behind?' I felt we had that good balance but, as I said, that's what I'm in the team to do – to try to create opportunities for my teammates, and we did it OK today.

On whether his eyes lit up when he had a chance with the last kick of the game…

It was just my main focus to get a good connection and to make sure I didn't blast it over, especially on my right foot as well. It was a tough opportunity. I would have backed myself 100 per cent on my left. In all fairness, I back myself too on my right. It unfortunately didn't go either side [of the goalkeeper] but it's something I can work on, something I can reflect on and practise in training now. A point is better than no points at all and we now need to reflect and go again on Thursday [against Atalanta].

On a thrilling end to the season with seven league games to go…

We just need to be selfish with ourselves. We can't be thinking about other teams and watching what they are doing and basing our games off them. We need to keep being selfish and keep getting three points on the board. We are in the best possible position to do it, we've got unbelievable fans behind us that will be backing us in each and every game until the end of the season. We have the team to do it, so who says we can't? We just need to keep going and keep taking it game by game, making sure we are recovered both physically and mentally and keep going. It will be a tough finish but we just need to keep going.

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