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Harvey Elliott needed just two games to find the back of the net after leaving Liverpool.
The midfielder sealed a deadline-day loan move to Aston Villa for the remainder of the season, with the Premier League club committing to a purchase next summer. Elliott returned after the international break to make his debut for his new club as a substitute against Everton in the Premier League last weekend.
A second appearance swiftly followed on Tuesday when Villa faced Brentford in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The ex-Liverpool youngster made an impact with a well-executed goal just before half-time.
John McGinn dispossessed an opposition defender, allowing his new teammate to latch onto the loose ball and slot a shot beneath Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson.
Regrettably for the 22-year-old, his new team couldn't maintain its lead and ended up losing the penalty shootout at the conclusion of the 90 minutes. Another former Red, Fabio Carvalho, was among those who scored for the Bees.
Despite the disappointment, Elliott expressed his feelings on Instagram: "Glad to get off the mark last night but unfortunate to go out. Go again Sunday [prayer emoji]."
Among his former Reds teammates, Tyler Morton was the most supportive.
The midfielder, who also left Anfield this summer for Lyon, responded: "What a guy."
Among those who liked the social media post were Liverpool's own stars including Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong, Kaide Gordon, Rio Ngumoha, Ryan Gravenberch, Trey Nyoni, Virgil van Dijk, Vitezslav Jaros, and Wataru Endo.
Profiles of former Reds who have departed in recent years also showed their support, including Caoimhin Kelleher, Luis Diaz, Naby Keita, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
For Villa, Elliott's arrival appears to be timely. Despite its cup exit, Elliott's strike marked the team's first goal in competitive action for the 2025-26 season.
The Reds, on the other hand, will be closely monitoring the Englishman's progress as they could potentially benefit in the future.
As part of the transfer agreement finalized on deadline day, both a sell-on clause and a buy-back clause were included.
This implies that Liverpool's chiefs could profit further from the player in the future, either if another club purchases him or if his development impresses them enough to consider bringing him back to Anfield.
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