Liverpool players believe they have a 'young Lionel Messi' at Anfield under Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool teenager Harvey Elliott has been compared to a “young Lionel Messi” by his team-mate Fabio Carvalho after the starlet’s impressive start to the season. The former Fulham midfielder has featured in every Premier League game this season under Jurgen Klopp, and has been a vital part of the team despite the Reds’ underperformance so far this campaign.

Elliott and Carvalho were providing alternative commentary for Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Newcastle in August, where Carvalho scored the winning goal in stoppage time, and he was complimentary about his fellow team-mate. In the first half as the Reds attempted to launch a counter-attack, goalkeeper Alisson launched the ball to Elliott who cut past two defenders before playing a one-two with Jordan Henderson and switching the play.

Carvalho was impressed with his team-mate, prompting high praise. “It’s like a young Lionel Messi!” the Portuguese midfielder said on the club's YouTube channel. The play ended up with a good chance for Luis Diaz after the Colombian went around Nick Pope, but he couldn’t find the back of the net. “Lucho was against me that game, didn’t want to score but that’s fine,” Elliott joked.

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Carvalho continued his compliments to Elliott. “I remember watching you playing,” Carvalho added. “You balled out this game.” Elliott then replied: “I think you did something at the end of this game as well,” referring to his first goal for the club.

Elliott then returned the compliment to Carvalho by comparing him to another Barcelona icon. “Fabio Carvalho, here he is,” Elliot said as Carvalho was shown being substituted on. “Wow, he’s better than [Luis] Figo I’ve heard.”

Carvalho then talked through his goal, as the ball bounced around in the box following a corner before he smashed the ball past Pope to secure all three points. “Quite decent to be fair, Virg[il van Dijk] calm down,” the Portuguese starlet said as the defender joined him in the celebration.

“I don’t know what I am doing [in the celebration], someone stepped on my foot I think it might have been Virg actually. To be fair we deserved that, and not just for the way we played but the crowd as well just kept going, without them it wouldn’t have been possible.”

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Elliott and Carvalho journey so far

Both Elliott and Carvalho joined Liverpool from Fulham, where they came through the academy and the pair shared a heartwarming moment as they watched themselves hug at the full-time whistle. “Little celebration between you and I,” Elliott said. “I feel the love.” Carvalho reflected on the journey they have been on together: “We’ve come a long way, it’s there [the love].”

Elliott joked that he was going to propose to Carvalho after the game, to which the Portugal under-21 international said: “I would have said yes!”