After a seven-match winning streak, the Reds were held to a 1-1 Premier League draw at home to Aston Villa last Saturday, when Roberto Firmino provided a late equaliser.
It was a day when the No.9, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain waved goodbye to Anfield ahead of their departures from the club this summer.
Jürgen Klopp’s men now have one more fixture in the campaign, visiting St Mary’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon for a 4.30pm BST kick-off.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com after the draw with Villa, Elliott reflected on the emotions of the day, his and the team’s overall season, and the hunger to improve next term...
On being part of the Anfield ‘goodbyes’ last weekend…
[It’s] an emotional time. Obviously for Bobby, Ox, Naby and Millie as well – they’ve been here for so long, to be able to share the pitch with all of them and be in and around them each and every day is not only emotional for them, but emotional for us. What a send-off and what a place to have a send-off like this. The fans are unbelievable and were with them right from the start when they signed. It’s just amazing.
On what the build-up was like for the players knowing it was Firmino’s last game…
Most importantly we wanted to go out and get the win for him to give it a more memorable last home game here at Anfield. For him to come on and score sums him up really. What an unbelievable player he has been and what a nice guy as well. We wish him nothing but the very best. It’s an emotional time, but we’ve still got one more game to go and make sure our focus is on that and at the end of it we can say our goodbyes.
On his own season overall…
It’s been up and down. The results sometimes haven’t gone our way and we’ve had bad spells and we’ve had great spells. For me personally to play as much as I have and to keep putting the red shirt on, there’s nothing more I want to do in my life. It’s just a privilege each and every day to go out and train with these lads and in front of these fans to play here at Anfield – long may it continue.
On what he has taken from those players who are leaving…
I could be here all day saying things about them. I think it is just their hunger and their desire and determination to be the best each and every game and each and every session as well. When they enter the building they come to do one thing and that’s making sure they put 100 per cent effort in. They get the best out of themselves and the team. For me personally, it’s to be able to learn and watch what these players do and put it into my game and what I do off the pitch as well.
Four players that I can say I have learnt a lot from and it’s just a privilege for myself to be around them. It’s a shame they have to go, I wish I could play with them for the rest of my career. I’m not sure what they’re going to do now, but for me it’s great people to learn off [alongside] each and every player here and the coaching staff – it’s always a pleasure. As I said, I’m sad to see these guys go, but we just wish them the very best.
On what he has taken from the season both on and off the pitch…
We made it hard for ourselves [against Villa] not getting the win, which is what we wanted... we still need to go into the last game all guns blazing and make sure we stamp our foot down and turn things around. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs this season, so it’s just down to us to make sure we end the season on a high whatever the outcome is. We just want to make sure we put the most into it and hopefully come away with the three points. It’s been a rollercoaster season as well as last season as well. Each and every day I’m learning new things. It’s kind of my first full season here at Liverpool where nothing has really happened and I’ve been available for each and every game. For me, it’s been a massive season. It’s all credit to these fans for keeping myself going. Here’s to next season and, as I said, we have one more game, so let’s finish [strongly].
On taking positives from Liverpool’s recent run ahead of next season…
This season has been, as I said, up and down. Next season we need to go again and make sure we get off to a flying start and maintain it throughout the season. Obviously us lads are going to put in each and every effort in pre-season and hopefully start the season off strong. But that’s next season, we just need to focus on the last game, make sure we go out with a bang and make ourselves ready in the off-season. I know some of the lads have internationals as well. It’s all about resting, recover, but at the same time we need to come back firing. We will come back firing, I can sense it with the lads and with the fans as well. We will be back for sure.