Former Newcastle United player Elliot Anderson put in a player-of-the-match performance on his England debut against Andorra.
After a brilliant 2024/25 campaign, the 22-year-old was finally given the nod by Thomas Tuchel to play for the Three Lions.
Now playing for Nottingham Forest, Elliot Anderson enjoyed more game time under Nuno Espirito Santo than he was getting under Eddie Howe at Newcastle United. However, the 47-year-old saw big potential in the midfielder and was waiting for the right moment to play him.
Anderson made his England debut at Villa Park against Andorra on Saturday night, becoming the sixth graduate of the Wallsend Boys Club to wear the iconic white shirt. He joined Newcastle legends Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley on the exclusive list.
Since the win, Anderson has shared his thoughts on his debut on social media, leading to replies from several Newcastle players.
Elliot Anderson and Tino Livramento applaud the fans after an international game between England and Andorra.
Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Newcastle United players congratulate Elliot Anderson after England debut
Newcastle will always regret selling Anderson, especially after making his England debut. PSR troubles forced them into the sale in 2024, and they are now seeing the consequences of losing him.
Anderson played alongside Dan Burn for England. The towering centre-back had virtually no defensive work to do throughout the game, but his passing was still impressive.
Elsewhere, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento came off the bench to see out the game. Gordon looked threatening whenever he brought the ball forward for England.
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On Instagram, Anderson posted a message which read: “An honour to make my @england debut!”
In the replies, Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga said: “What a player!”
Elsewhere, Tino Livramento commented with raised hands and a heart emoji, while Sven Botman and former Newcastle defender Paul Dummett posted clapping emojis.
The post was also liked by many Newcastle players, including captain Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schar and Lewis Hall.
Elliot Anderson never wanted to leave Newcastle United
A boyhood Toon fan, Anderson was living the dream by playing for Newcastle. The midfielder got his debut under Steve Bruce, but was best utilised under Howe, who gave him his first Premier League starts and gave fans a glimpse of what he could achieve in football.
While Forest has been a brilliant move for him, Anderson has occasionally said that leaving Newcastle was brutal.
Had PSR not been a problem, Newcastle would have likely kept Anderson at the club for the 2024/25 season, and likely for this season as well. He would have been a very handy player for Howe, especially given the recent injury problems Joelinton has suffered.
“It was sort of a tough move at the time, but I think ultimately, I probably wouldn’t be sat here now if I didn’t make the move,” Anderson said last week.
“So, I think sometimes you’ve got to sort of step out of your comfort zone and believe in yourself, which is sort of what I’ve done.
“I believed I was ready to go and play in the Premier League every week. So yeah, as I say, I don’t think I would be in this position now if I didn’t do it.”