Newcastle United news: What next for Anthony Elanga after he scored his first Newcastle United goal v Man City in the Carabao Cup.
There were very few positives to cling onto as Newcastle United players, coaches and fans left the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
The vast, vast majority of the 5,359 supporters that made the trip from Tyneside entered the former City of Manchester Stadium with very little hope of seeing their side overturn a two-goal deficit. Particularly considering that none of them had even seen their side score a goal at that stadium in over seven years.
DeAndre Yedlin’s strike for a Rafa Benitez-managed Newcastle United side in September 2018 was the last time they were allowed a chance to celebrate. The Covid-19 pandemic was 18-months away whilst Eastside by Benny Blanco, Halsey and Khalid was top of the UK charts (us neither).
However, that all changed on Wednesday night when Anthony Elanga skipped past his marker, befuddled Nico O’Reilly before curling an effort past James Trafford. For a moment, the briefest of moments, you could see why they parted with £55m in the summer for his signature.
Elanga’s challenge, and Newcastle United’s from now on, is to turn those moments into a steady stream of goals and assists. Do that, and they may just be an attacking force to be reckoned with once again.
How do Newcastle United get the best out of Anthony Elanga?
For many, the capture of Elanga solved a squad problem; they desperately needed a right-winger after all, but it did not solve, and potentially even exacerbated, a system problem. Newcastle United’s attack has been built on quick transitions and it’s not a coincidence that their best attacking displays under Eddie Howe have come against high lines - see Brentford at home in 2022, Spurs at home in 2023 and the first-half against Crystal Palace at St James’ Park last season.
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But their issue has always been breaking down packed defences that sit back and defend deep. A genuinely creative midfielder could be the solution to that issue, but Howe’s current 4-3-3 formation doesn’t really allow for that.
Creativity from the flanks, therefore, could have been another solution. The first seven months of Elanga’s time at Newcastle United, though, did little to suggest that he could be the fix.
The Swedish international has pace to burn, but that doesn’t matter if there is no room to run into. Against Manchester City, though, there were just a couple of chinks of light that maybe there is another side to his game building in the background.
His goal, for example, came after some lovely close control against defenders that had squared him up in the penalty box. Few opponents would dare to go near him in the penalty box at risk of conceding a spot-kick and Elanga exploited that with his goal - providing a finish that anybody on that pitch would have been delighted to have in their locker.
Of course, City do play with a high line and that was one of the major reasons why Elanga had such joy on Wednesday night, but that goal, that one moment, offers hope that maybe there is something to cling onto and develop.
Elanga must now get a run of games in the starting XI by Howe to prove if he will be capable of repaying that £55m transfer fee.
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