Liverpool fans were amazed by how much Harvey Elliott’s body changed after the Sunderland friendly game.
Liverpool fans got quite a surprise seeing Harvey Elliott’s new look after their friendly match against Sunderland.
In Andoni Iraola’s first game as manager, Liverpool won an exciting 4-2 in Nashville, kicking off their summer tour in the US with a great result. Teenage star Kieran Morrison scored first, and then Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa, and Lewis Koumas scored in the second half to turn the game around after Sunderland took the lead.
Morrison led a fast-paced, attacking game and earned Man of the Match, while Elliott made his return to the team after a tough time away. Last summer, Elliott was loaned to Aston Villa with a deal that could have made the move permanent if he played enough league games. But he didn’t get much time on the pitch under Villa’s coach Unai Emery, only playing 277 minutes in nine matches, which slowed his progress. Emery didn’t see Elliott as part of his future plans, so Villa chose not to sign him permanently.
Now back at Liverpool, Elliott is ready to show what he can do under Iraola. Against Sunderland, he set up Morrison’s first goal with a typical strong run forward. Fans were happy to see him back and playing well. But what caught attention most was his changed physique.
Elliott is famous for being smaller and not super fast, which sometimes made it hard for him to keep the ball against tough defenders. It looks like he’s spent the pre-season gaining muscle to help with this, and many noticed he looks stockier now.
On social media, journalist Lewis Steele pointed out that Elliott seems bulked up. Fans had mixed opinions—some worried gaining weight might slow him down more, while others said he doesn’t have to be super fast to succeed. A few fans felt Elliott should be better prepared for the new season given how important it is for him.
Elliott will have another chance to impress Iraola in Liverpool’s next pre-season match against Wrexham on July 30.