22 November 2023 , 00:22
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Boos were heard at Goodison Park after Harvey Elliott scored for England's U21s against Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening.
The Young Lions boosted their hopes of qualifying for the 2025 U21 Euros in Slovakia by beating Northern Ireland 3-0 on Merseyside. Tyler Morton opened the scoring for the hosts before his Liverpool team-mate Elliott scored a superb brace at Everton's home.
Despite being England's hero, Elliott was booed by some sections of the crowd due to his Liverpool links. Some fans refused to put club loyalties to one side for the international break and jeered when Elliott's name was read out after his first goal.
It's safe to assume the boo boys were Everton supporters considering which club Elliott plays for. The 20-year-old is unlikely to be too concerned by his frosty reception at Goodison Park, as he aims to win the U21 Euros for a second time with the Young Lions.
England won the competition by beating Spain in Georgia earlier this year. The next edition of the U21 Euros will take place in Slovakia in 19 months' time, with England's fate hanging in the balance. They need to top their qualification group to progress.
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Lee Carsley's side are second in their group, which is only enough for a play-off. They are three points behind leaders Ukraine, but there are still five games to play - including a home clash against Ukraine. Qualifying for the tournament is a minimum for the English.
The Young Lions went into this month's qualifiers against Serbia and Northern Ireland without two key players, as Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis were both called into the senior squad. Yet they won 3-0 in Serbia on Saturday and have now beaten Northern Ireland.
Elliott's performance on Tuesday wasn't hampered by the boos (Getty Images)Do you think fans were right to boo Harvey Elliott? Let us know in the comments below!
Both of Elliott's goals were a superb. The Liverpool talent firstly whipped a second-half free kick into the far corner of goalkeeper Josh Clarke's net before getting on the end of Morton's superb through ball and chipping Clarke to complete the scoring.
Both goals were met with cheers from the crowd. Yet, according to the Liverpool ECHO, boos were heard when Elliott's name was read out after his free kick. It's believed Morton, who is currently on loan at Hull, didn't receive the same reception after his goal.
Elliott is one of England's most prominent youngsters, having already played 82 times for Liverpool. The Fulham academy graduate has become an important member of Jurgen Klopp's squad in recent years and often shows his love for the Reds.
Elliott famously picked up a red flare after Liverpool's Carabao Cup final win against Chelsea in 2022 and said he wanted to "paint the city red" ahead of October's Merseyside derby. Klopp's side went on to win 2-0 at Anfield thanks to a brace from Mohamed Salah.