Carsley lauds England’s ‘exceptional’ match-winner Elliott ahead of the final showdown.

Lee Carsley is of the opinion that the Under-21 European Championship has yet to witness the best of Harvey Elliott after his team, spearheaded by the Liverpool forward, secured a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands to advance to Saturday’s final.

Elliott was instrumental in the semi-final, scoring both goals for the Young Lions, with his second strike arriving just four minutes before the final whistle.

With three knockout goals to his name in Slovakia, he is now focused on capturing consecutive titles, alongside coach Carsley and teammate Charlie Cresswell.

Reflecting on Elliott’s performance, Carsley told reporters after the match: “I thought he was superb. He has really developed as the tournament has progressed.”

“I believe he felt a sense of frustration in the last tournament regarding his playing time, but both he and Charlie (Cresswell) had to exercise patience. They showcased during the qualifying campaign that they were ready to lead and support the team, along with their fellow players.

“Harvey is becoming more formidable as the tournament unfolds; he remains a threat in front of goal, and we always recognised that he possesses the ability to provide assists too. Hopefully, he can carry this form into the final.”

For the winger, this match marked yet another significant moment in his development, as the fans chanted his name around the National Football Stadium in Slovakia, where he also earned his second player of the match award of the tournament.

When questioned about his knack for performing in key moments, Elliott responded in the mixed zone: “I’m doing my best. It’s a situation where I’ve come to understand what it takes to excel at the business end of these tournaments.”

“Having been here before, I’ve seen other players step up when the going gets tough and when we find ourselves under pressure. It’s about digging deep, persisting, and fighting until the very end. Contributing two goals and clinching the win has made me exceedingly happy.”

“However, we need to keep our focus on the final; we can’t get too carried away. It’s essential we recover, rest up, and prepare to go again.”

Post-match, there was a bit of concern when Elliott mentioned to British broadcaster Channel 4 that he had sustained a knee injury during his celebration for the first goal. Nevertheless, he was seen walking past the media without any apparent difficulties.

He elaborated: “The pitch was drying out towards the end, and in the heat of the moment, emotions sometimes take over. I remember glancing down at my sock, which had been ripped due to the condition of the ground. I hope this is not an ongoing issue.”

Carsley’s team only faced one major scare during the match when Noah Ohio equalised with a stunning long-range strike with 17 minutes remaining. However, the manager expressed pride in how his side reacted.

“They responded excellently. We were largely in control at that juncture. We often speak about the ‘domino effect’ of making one mistake leading to another, and the lad (Ohio) took his goal brilliantly.

“It’s clear he realised the opportunity presented itself if they regained possession in that area.

“Naturally, we were disappointed to concede, as we had transitioned from a promising attacking position into allowing them that chance.”

“But credit goes to the team for recovering from that setback almost immediately.”