Harvey Elliott’s nightmare spell at Valencia has taken one other depressing flip after the on-loan Liverpool midfielder was despatched off for 2 bookings in fast succession in opposition to Villarreal.
The 23-year-old was launched with 20 minutes remaining within the Derbi de la Comunitat, hoping to make an influence with the rating tied at 1-1 and Villarreal midfielder Pape Gueye having been proven a straight pink card.
However issues didn’t fairly go to plan for Elliott, who obtained two yellow playing cards within the area of a minute – each seemingly for dissent.
To make issues worse, with each side right down to 10 males, Villarreal went on to grab all three factors with a winner within the sixth minute of damage time.
🚨🇪🇸 HARVEY ELLIOTT SENT OFF! ❌
Two yellow playing cards in a play
Valencia is right down to 10 males. pic.twitter.com/FwhJua6tAk
— TheGoalsZone (@TheGoalsZone) October 24, 2026
It’s the most recent low level in a profession that has gone badly off observe since Arne Slot changed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield in the summertime of 2024.
Elliott performed solely a peripheral function in Liverpool’s 2024-25 title triumph, not often trusted by Slot. However there was renewed hope that he would possibly kick on after an excellent European Beneath-21 Championship with England in the summertime of 2025.
The midfielder was named Participant of the Match after scoring 5 objectives, together with the opener in England’s last victory over Germany.
“Doubtless England’s simplest participant from the primary sport onwards,” mentioned the UEFA Technical Observer Group.
“Tactically, he confirmed unimaginable consciousness to have the ability to discover the areas to obtain passes in harmful positions, after which the flexibility to make a distinction inclusive of making and scoring a few of his staff’s most important objectives of their profitable marketing campaign.
“He additionally confirmed glorious management qualities with an awesome work ethic and staff behaviour. A giant participant for the large stage.”
Earlier winners of the award included the likes of Anthony Gordon and Fabian Ruiz, and at that time you’d have backed Elliott to kick on and develop into a senior England worldwide.
A transfer to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa appeared an awesome alternative for a contemporary begin, notably given the Spanish coach’s observe report of growing and bettering English expertise like Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers.
As a substitute, the transfer was a catastrophe. Elliott’s mortgage settlement included a £35million obligation to purchase if he made 10 appearances, however Villa determined in opposition to making the deal everlasting.
He was subsequently frozen out to keep away from triggering the clause, enjoying simply 304 minutes in a totally wasted yr at an important juncture of his profession.
A second successive mortgage transfer, this time to Valencia, provided one other probability to get his profession again on observe. However issues have someway gone from dangerous to worse.
Carlos Corberan, who had personally satisfied Elliott to hitch the Spanish membership, was sacked shortly after his arrival following a disastrous begin to the marketing campaign.
Spanish newspaper Marca subsequently reported issues over Elliott’s health, claiming that he’d arrived above his optimum enjoying weight.
Regardless of Valencia reportedly making him their third-highest earner, the midfielder has struggled to ascertain himself underneath Corberan’s successor Javier Aguirre.
He’d performed simply 133 minutes throughout six La Liga matches through which he’d been out there earlier than the go to of Villarreal, prompting reviews that Liverpool had despatched representatives to Spain for talks over find out how to get his profession shifting in the correct course.
Saturday’s extraordinary dismissal received’t have helped his trigger.
“It’s absurd, ridiculous. I’ve already made that clear to him,” Aguirre informed reporters after the ultimate whistle.
“It’s not his fault, it’s mine for choosing the gamers I choose. I determine who performs and the way they play. I’ll communicate to him.”
The end result leaves Valencia sitting second-bottom of the La Liga desk, with only one win from their opening matches.
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