Aston Villa player could be sent back to his former team

Harvey Elliott’s move to Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool has so far failed to spark the transformation many expected.

Villa head coach Unai Emery is calling for more hours in training and greater tactical discipline from the young English star.

But with Elliott having logged just a handful of appearances and a succession of matches on the bench or unused, the warning signs are mounting.

Elliott joined Villa with considerable fanfare. A crucial figure in Liverpool’s recent success and England’s U21-European Championship success, the 22-year-old was seen as an attacking upgrade for a Villa side seeking to rebuild under Emery.

The loan deal, reported as lasting a season and potentially leading to a full transfer, raised expectations that Elliott would be a key figure in Villa’s push up the Premier League table. However, the reality so far has been different.

Five appearances into his Villa career, Elliott has not started in the last three matches and has struggled to make an impact.

Emery, while publicly supportive, has urged the young winger not to rely purely on talent, stressing that “hard work and patience are the keys to kick-starting” his Villa career.

Emery said, as reported by the Express:

“I am being very, very demanding myself to choose in each match the player to start and the players on the bench and the subs players, and firstly is always trying to get the best performance collectively, through individual players.

“Harvey is a 10 number in our structure, in our shape, and he plays some matches and there is still adaptation to add himself individually in our structure, the task we have. Of course, he is training well, and his commitment is being very well as well, but his performance was not enough (up to this point).

“At the same time, we have other players who can play as a 10 and they are performing well, and I have different players.

“This is the main reason he is not playing the last matches minutes, but he has to continue working like he is doing in the training session and of course getting his confidence in the performance we need through him.”

While the potential remains high, and Liverpool clearly retain belief in his wider talent, this period could prove pivotal for both his confidence and long-term future.

Elliott’s loan to Aston Villa remains a work in progress. Despite the high early hopes, his adaptation has been slower than anticipated, and Emery has signalled that the player must now match his talent with task-mastering attitude.

If he can combine work ethic and opportunity, the move may propel him forward, if not, he faces a difficult time at Aston Villa.

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