LaLiga36 min ago2 minute read

Harvey Elliott Sent Off as Valencia Lose Late Against Villarreal

Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott received two yellow cards in under a minute as Valencia lost 2-1 to Villarreal in LaLiga on Saturday.

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Red card late in LaLiga clash

Harvey Elliott suffered a nightmare moment on Saturday as Valencia fell to a 2-1 defeat against Villarreal in LaLiga. The 23 year old Liverpool loanee was sent off in the 89th minute after receiving two yellow cards in the space of seconds.

The match was locked at 1-1 when Elliott was dismissed for apparent dissent towards referee Alejandro Quintero Gonzalez. Elliott appeared frustrated by a refereeing decision that went against one of his teammates. Valencia were forced to play out the final minutes with 10 men, and Villarreal took advantage. Georges Mikautadze scored for Villarreal in the sixth minute of stoppage time to claim all three points.

Valencia boss Javier Aguirre speaks out

The incident added to a difficult loan spell in Spain for Elliott. The midfielder has yet to start a game for Valencia this season, making six substitute appearances. He is still waiting for his first goal or assist for the club.

Valencia manager Javier Aguirre did not hide his annoyance after the match. "With 11 of us against their 10, we weren't doing badly," Aguirre said. "We were in the game. And then, an absurd, ridiculous sending off, obviously for talking. He barely speaks Spanish, so I don't know what he could have said to the referee, or perhaps the referee is bilingual, I really don't know. But it was for talking and that really irritates me, yes, yes."

Aguirre took ultimate responsibility for the situation while making it clear he would address the matter directly with Elliott. "I've already made that clear to him, and there are rules, and we can't ... It's not his fault, it's my fault, if anything, for picking the players I do and playing the way we do. It's entirely my fault, but I'll sort it out internally and say what I need to say," the manager added.

Struggles continue after Premier League loans

Elliott moved to Valencia on loan during the summer transfer window after failing to earn a place in new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola's plans. The move came after a tough period at Aston Villa last season, where manager Unai Emery froze the midfielder out of the first team squad.