Harvey Elliott sends message to Pascal Struijk in response to FA’s stance on appeal

Liverpool player Harvey Elliott sends a heartfelt message to Leeds United’s Pascal Struijk in response to the FA’s stance on an appeal.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have surprisingly been unsuccessful in their appeal against the red card shown to Struijk for a tackle that left Elliott requiring surgery on a dislocated ankle.

The Whites player was dismissed for the challenge on the Reds’ 18-year-old, which resulted in him being taken off on a stretcher.

Elliott is expected to return to action during the 2021/22 season, according to Liverpool’s club doctor, after the midfielder underwent a successful ankle operation on Tuesday.

LEEDS STATEMENT:

We can confirm that our appeal against Pascal Struijk’s red card has been unsuccessful.

Pascal will miss our next three games against Newcastle United, Fulham (Carabao Cup) and West Ham United.

We will make no further comment at this time.

– STATEMENT ENDS –

After seeing the the FA rejected Leeds’ appeal, Harvey Elliott commented: “Sorry about this Pascal 😒 I think it’s wrong! But it’ll soon blow over brother and you’ll be back in no time smashing it again 🙌❤️ keep positive.”

Harvey Elliott insists Pascal Struijk was wrongly sent off for the fateful tackle – and revealed he watched the rest of the 3-0 win from his phone in an ambulance.

Elliott faces six months out with a dislocated ankle but believes Whites defender Struijk is blameless as an innocuous-looking challenged produced a “freak accident”.

Referee Craig Pawson didn’t even deem the challenge a foul, however only gave sub Struijk a red card off after VAR intervened.

Midfielder Elliott, 18, posted on Instagram: “(It) wasn’t his fault whatsoever! 

“Neither was it a red card just a freak accident but these things happen in football.”

Though he is likely to miss most of what seemed to be his breakthrough season, the former Blackburn loanee promised: “I’ll be back stronger 100 per cent. Thanks for all the support.”

As seen above, Elliott put up a photo of himself laying in an ambulance with his phone propped in his lap as he watched the closing stages of the match.

Salah immediately called to bring on medics as he saw Elliott’s twisted ankle and the teenager’s agony.

Struijk was then dismissed for what to the naked eye looked a routine tackle as he turned on the halfway line.

The Dutchman, 22, said online: “In today’s game something happened that I would never wish on anyone.

“@harveyelliott07, my thoughts are with you, I’m gutted and never meant this to happen.

“I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you back on the pitch soon.”

Before posting his belief that Struijk was innocent, Elliott wrote to reveal he had been “overwhelmed” by “love and support” from the “entire football world”.

He added: “I’m of course absolutely devastated with what happened yesterday at Leeds… 

“Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out or sent messages to me and my family, it means so much to us. 

“Also a massive thanks to everyone inside Elland Road for the reception you gave me immediately after it happened.

“I am now fully focused on my recovery and will give everything in my rehabilitation to be back out there as soon as I can. 

“I know I have an incredible support network behind me at Liverpool and together we will get through this.

“To all of the Liverpool fans, your support means the world to me. I’m one of you and I can’t wait to be back faster, fitter and stronger to help the team in the future. You’ll Never Walk Alone!”

Fans reacted as Harvey Elliott sends a message to Pascal Struijk in response to FA’s stance on the appeal…

Pack up the balls and nets the game has gone https://t.co/o0UsltlWqA

— JC (@connollyjon) September 15, 2021

@ffsDH_70: Absolute shambles that. If this doesn’t show that the rules need changing then I don’t know what will. Even the player with the broken ankle laying in a hospital bed is saying it was a pure accident and not a sending off

@UTDkingsley: Never a red card

@Ridderz86: Shocking decision that

@fletcher082: Wasn’t even a red in the 1st place

@AshJohnson20: Don’t know their arse from their elbow the FA. Just always got to back their refs 100% to the hilt, even when they know they’ve got it wrong. Ref didn’t even give a foul at the time and gestured at Elliott to get up. Enough to make you give up on footy.

@1878domingo: But Son Heung-min got away with it on Gomes, because he cried.

@JideHowardChase: Interesting decision. You have to wonder if that decision would be the same if it was the other way round, or a ManU, City or Chelsea player committed the same foul.

@PigottJamie: As a Blade I loathe Leeds with a passion but even me with my most biased hat on has to say that is a scandalous decision by the FA. Very sad that Elliott suffered a horrific injury but never a red card in the first place. Was only sent off to take the steam out of situation

@gempopmoo: Wtf i hate leeds but no way was that a red

@rob_fisher_efc: Not part of the big 6 cartel so you won’t get decisions overturned…

@RoyalzJord: Tbf it was an accident shame what happened to Elliot but it was a misplaced foot and it was unfortunate but it shouldn’t be a ban

@Christhefish86: Guarantee if we was one of the alleged “big six” that gets rescinded. The FA thd PL the EFL are all a joke. If you deny that you’re probably a fan of the “big six” but everyone else in football knows it’s true.

@DNev93: Absolutely criminal

@1966lufc: The FA are out of touch with reality. Ex pros like Gullit, Van Basten, Owen etc say not a foul. Elliott said the same. Match of the day commentator said great tackle. But must back the official who panicked after waving play on. All incompetent.

@haribododgson: Don’t forget they cannot go against the top four otherwise Klopp will cry some more and influence the refs

@5tandish: What a complete joke, but no surprise

@hughesr64: Completely Incompetent but are we surprised? The lad himself said it was a fair tackle and an accident. Feel for Pascal on this – also a young player who should have more support from the authorities.

@RKMAC1960: Outrageous, I’m a Liverpool supporter, said at the time not a foul. Pawson the worst ref imo, although not many good ones. Absolute joke..

@aj2squared: I didn’t realise the FA were condoning red cards for outcomes not tackles. Which by-law is that? Although I see it didn’t apply to Son when he had his rescinded 2 years ago for pretty much the same thing?

@MOTForever: It’s difficult not to conclude there is a bias against any team outside the greedy 6. Even Harvey Elliot thought it was the wrong decision! Farcical but unfortunately not a surprise. #lufc

@tybilly1: Another nail in the coffin for what once was a contact sport. Tackle was a total accident everyone saw it. Expect nothing else from the inept football authorities.

@THEBIGPEANUT257: And yet the tackles in the Burnley Vs Everton match by Burnley were 10 times worse n didnt even concede a free kick! Wat a fucking joke

@CraigLights: It was nailed on that it wouldn’t be overturned, it’s Leeds. If that is a red then they may aswell outlaw slide tackles or even players going to ground to win the ball. Thing is you will see a much worse challenge this weekend that will go unpunished.

@cater_adam: Anybody surprised…it was of course LEEDS. We get nothing from anyone

@FandangoCarllos: What have we learned this morning? 1) Some refs shouldn’t ref PL matches 2) The FA is gutless and panders to the ‘Big 6’ 3) Klopp isn’t the great bloke we all thought last season 4) Harvey Elliot is a class player and great bloke (once he’s fit get a Transfer request in for him)

@elland_toad: Absolute joke. You’ve set yourselves a precedent here @fa – 3 match bans for every player involved in a tackle where a serious injury occurs to the other player now.

@kane_gordon: So if you tackle and cause a serious injury you will suffer the consequences, even if the intent is sound. If you are Ashley Barnes and you actually intend to hurt someone but don’t you can keep playing……. something is really wrong. Players, clubs and fans deserve better.

@Nobbly_Bobbly_: Just ban tackling then

@garethhobson21: Makes you wonder if it would have been the same if the roles had been reversed.

@Yaboiholo: that’s utter nonsense. how does tarkowski not even get a yellow for his dangerous tackle then. what the fuck is this

@couerdelion73: Was always going to be the case. Uphold the appeal and questions about Klopp influencing Pawson would need to be asked.

@LUFCMatchworn: So corrupt! The Son/Gomez one was overturned. It’s a contact sport where these things happen, unless we’re moving towards tag football?

@mjgarrity72: Can’t upset the Super League clubs

@pedrogibo: Joke of a decision. So from now on, as with the Cooper incident last season, the rules will change again to stop these cards given eh? How about the shocker on Dallas at Burnley? Raph last season at..

@PaulLUFC1919: Frustrating when your football association doesn’t know football