unitedinfocus.com

20 duels and 3 key passes, Elliot Anderson just proved vs Spurs why he must be Man United's top priority

Manchester United target Elliot Anderson was at the heart of an emphatic 3-0 Nottingham Forest win against relegation rivals Tottenham.

The 2-2 draw with Bournemouth being played out on a Friday evening means that Manchester United fans could spend the rest of the weekend watching rivals and transfer targets, including Elliot Anderson.

Anderson is United’s top choice as a midfield target this summer, although there is fierce competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich for his signature.

The battle to sign Anderson will continue to heat up, especially following another brilliant performance for Forest against Tottenham.

Elliot Anderson playing against Liverpool

Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Is Elliot Anderson the standout midfield option for Manchester United?

How much would you want United to spend on him this summer…

Elliot Anderson duels

Getty Images

Elliot Anderson impressed against Tottenham

Forest are in a relegation battle with Tottenham, and they leapfrogged the North London side with a statement 3-0 victory away from home.

Anderson played 89 minutes of the match, and his match stats show just how much of an impact he had from central midfield.

As per SofaScore, Anderson competed in 20 duels, winning 10 of them. He recovered possession nine times for Forest.

Elliot Anderson vs Tottenham Match stats

Minutes played 89

Passes completed 79% (38/48)

Key passes 3

Big chances created 1

Touches 77

Carrying distance 135m

Duels won 50% (10/20)

More United News

While Anderson didn’t play a hand in any of Forest’s three goals in terms of scoring or assisting, he dictated play from midfield and was a protector in front of his back four – exactly the kind of player that United are looking for.

Should Manchester United break the transfer record in summer 2026? Who should we target?

Who has been Manchester United's best and worst big money signings?

Record transfers graphic

Getty Images

Elliot Anderson extends duel dominance in Premier League

Ineos are looking for a long-term successor to Casemiro and Anderson’s elite duel-winning is one of the main reasons he stands out as the top candidate.

Anderson tops the Premier League for duels won, and his latest performance against Spurs shows exactly how he has got himself into that position.

READ MORE: Man Utd’s move for Elliot Anderson just became more complicated as Bayern Munich join transfer race

The 23-year-old is never far from the action and he now has 255 duels won in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

No one in the division even comes close to that figure. James Tarkowski is second on the list with 195.

Join Our Newsletter

Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox

Read full news in source page