Harvey Elliott went unused in Aston Villa‘s Europa League opener on Thursday night, with their supporters bemused by Unai Emery’s use of the former Liverpool midfielder.
Elliott joined Villa on deadline day on an initial loan with an obligation to buy for £35 million if he makes at least 10 appearances.
That makes his permanent switch to Villa Park almost certain, though there is a growing belief that he was not head coach Unai Emery’s preferred signing.
Emery criticised Elliott’s tendency to play quick passes behind the defence after a cameo in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland, and then left the 22-year-old on the bench throughout Thursday’s 1-0 win over Bologna.
Morgan Rogers, who has struggled for form so far this season, played the full 90 minutes as No. 10 while Emi Buendia and Evann Guessand started on the wings and Jadon Sancho came off the bench.
The decision to overlook Elliott was one which left many Villa supporters confused – and some questioning whether Emery wanted him in the first place.
Think there is some surprise here that Harvey Elliott hasn’t been called upon yet. #AVFC
— Jacob Tanswell (@J_Tanswell) September 25, 2025
Unai Emery 100% did not want Harvey Elliott
— 20. (@316simsim) September 25, 2025
Lucas Digne getting on the pitch before Harvey Elliott sums Unai up.
Elliott is far too good to sit on our bench. Emery needs to show these players some respect. It does Harvey no favours sitting out that game. He would’ve made tonight look easy.
— Fake (@DOUGLASLUlZ) September 25, 2025
If Harvey Elliott started over Rogers tonight we win this by more than 1 #avfc
— Alexander (@AVChappy) September 25, 2025
Digne comes on to give 3 silly fouls away after Maatsen provides us an out-ball all game. Rogers jogs around for 90 unable to make a single pass work while Harvey Elliott watches on.
Eh?
— Dom Phillips (@_domphillips) September 25, 2025
We won a game. Harvey Elliott is a class above Buendia, Guessand and an out of form Rogers – baffling he’s sat down for 90 mins in my opinion. #avfc
— Shaun – utv ? (@AvfcU) September 25, 2025
If I’m Harvey Elliott, my only focus is to force Liverpool’s hand on activating that buy-back clause.
The disrespect from Unai Emery already is shocking.#avfc
— Bairdy (@dickiebaird) September 25, 2025
What more does Harvey Elliott have to do?
— . (@AVFC_H) September 25, 2025
free harvey elliott
— catrin (@catrinavfc) September 25, 2025
While Emery has explained that his new No. 9 “needs adaptation,” it is difficult to believe that Elliott – such an impactful player for Liverpool – would not improve an ailing Villa side.
It is highly unlikely that he will not make the requisite 10 appearances over the course of a long season, but there could still be question marks over his long-term future if he finds himself out of the head coach’s plans.
Elliott scored Villa’s first goal of the campaign on his only start so far – in the eventual penalty shootout defeat to Brentford in the Carabao Cup.
But it appears as though that, rightly or wrongly, he finds himself behind Rogers in the pecking order and unable to shift him from Emery’s first-choice XI.
After a breakthrough campaign that saw him score 14 goals and lay on 16 more in 54 appearances, Rogers is yet to produce a goal or assist in seven outings for Villa this term.
The England midfielder found himself jeered by sections of Villa Park when he made mistakes against Bologna, with it clear there is a mounting unease around Emery’s decision-making.