Harvey Elliott has described his first Liverpool goal as 'an absolute dream' and paid tribute to those who have helped him on his way back to full fitness.
The 18-year-old midfielder has been stuck on the sidelines since September following a challenge from Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk that caused a serious ankle injury.
Prior to this incident, Elliott had been thriving in the first-team after seizing the opportunity to impress handed to him by manager Jurgen Klopp.
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Representing Liverpool will have been a surreal moment for the teenager who grew up supporting the club, though nothing will have quite topped his cameo appearance against Cardiff City this afternoon.
Coming off the bench to score the pick of the four finishes witnessed at Anfield, Elliott has recognised that opening his goalscoring account for the Reds was an unforgettable experience.
"I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dreamt about scoring that goal," he said on Instagram after the match.
"Liverpool shirt on. Kop End. On the volley and into the bottom corner. An absolute dream come true for me and my family!
"However, what made today that little bit sweeter was what I’ve gone through over the last 147 days. 147 long days to get back to playing at Anfield!
"There’s too many people to thank who have been in my corner and given me incredible support throughout this journey. The surgeon, my physios, coaches, staff, teammates, family and friends - their constant support day in, day out has helped me more than they will ever know and I’m extremely grateful.
"Finally, I want to thank the fans for their love and support. The work doesn’t stop now, it’s only just getting started. Let’s gooooo."
As well as the supporters inside Anfield who were delighted for the youngster, Klopp was also full of praise for Elliott.
Speaking after the game, the Liverpool boss described his comeback goal scored as a 'proper fairytale'.
He said: "Coming on is a great step back, scoring the goal makes it a proper fairytale.
“Harvey Elliott’s goal was very touching. I have known him for a while now, I know what an incredible talent he is and an incredible kid he is. When we lost him at Leeds, it was one of the hardest moments of my career."
