Harvey Elliott was set for new role under Arne Slot before cruel Liverpool injury blow

Harvey Elliott’s injury comes as a huge blow to Liverpool, and it denies the young midfielder a chance to impress Arne Slot in a new role .

Elliott is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his foot . The 21-year-old was forced to pull out of England’s U21 squad last week after experiencing discomfort in his foot, with the extent of his injury now clear.

According to The Times , Elliott is expected to be out until late October. With games now coming thick and fast for Liverpool amid Champions League and Carabao Cup duties, the midfielder’s absence will be felt over the next month or so.

• Trent Alexander-Arnold shines but Darwin Nunez and two more Liverpool players face problem
• Liverpool transfer news amid Trent Alexander-Arnold plan and 'talks' for Real Madrid duo

And the former Fulham star will miss out on the chance to stake his claim in Slot’s side after what has been a quiet start to the season. Elliott has played just seven minutes for the Reds so far this campaign, having made a cameo off the bench in the 2-0 win over Brentford.

He would likely have been given more game time over the coming weeks though, with Slot needing to utilize his squad to combat the hectic schedule. What’s more, the new head coach had a new role in mind for Elliott.

According to The Times’ report, he is now viewed as an attacking midfielder or No.10 by Slot following the arrival of Federico Chiesa . Elliott had previously acted as a backup to Mohamed Salah on the right of Liverpool’s front three, but the Italian international will now fill that role.

Elliott had also produced some promising displays in midfield toward the back end of last season under Jurgen Klopp , underling his potential in the engine room. It seems though he’ll have to wait for his opportunity to play his way into Slot’s side this season.

Liverpool faces Nottingham Forest on Saturday following the conclusion of the international break. The Reds will be aiming to maintain their perfect record, having won all three of their Premier League games so far without conceding a goal.

Liverpool.com says: It’s a real shame to see Elliott ruled out at this early stage of the season. He almost certainly would have got more chances over the coming weeks, and it would have been the perfect opportunity for him to show Slot what he can do in midfield.

Liverpool’s new style looks as though it would be well-suited for Elliott in the role Dominik Szoboszlai has been filling so far. Hopefully there will be more chances for the youngster when he returns.