We’ll you give Ell!
HARVEY WARNS LEADERS
HARVEY ELLIOTT believes free- scoring Blackburn can show unbeaten leaders Reading “who is boss” at Ewood Park tonight.
Teenager Elliott was on target with his first goal for the club as they won 4- 0 at Coventry on Saturday, just two matches into his season- long loan spell from Liverpool.
Blackburn have hit 16 in the Championship this season – the best in the division – with Adam Armstrong scoring eight of them.
Elliott, 17, said: “It’s really fun to play in our team as everyone gives you chances and the opportunities to score.
“Not just that, you also get the chances on the ball because we’re all really unselfish and want to work hard for each other. That’s exactly what you need in a hard league like the Championship.
“We’re all willing to do the dirty work for the team.
“Ever since I walked through the door, everyone’s been so welcoming to me and have been so supportive in believing in me to show who I really am.
“It’s a good team here and I know I have to fight for my place, so to play two full games has been amazing for me.
“I still need to get used to the tempo and get properly match fit, so I hope there’s more to come.
“We’re ready to show Reading what we can do and show them who’s boss.”
Winger Elliott has made an immediate impact, but equally it has been quite a start, too, for Reading’s new manager Veljko Paunovic.
Even just seven matches into the season, they have a five- point gap on Bristol City in second.
But he has warned his side they face their hardest assignment so far tonight.
Reading have scored 11 and conceded just once in the Championship but the Royals boss will be frantically putting in extra homework to deal with the threat of Armstrong and Co.
He said: “We expect it is going to be out toughest test yet – definitely. Knowing what we do about them, they have an experienced team, a fantastic coach in Tony Mowbray and someone I have heard great things about.
“We expect a very challenging game. It’s not going to be easy, but which game was easy for us?
“We have to improve in a couple of things. We do not have time to work a lot but video will help. The capacity of our players will help to absorb and process the information so we can act on it.”