Newcastle United's Anthony Elanga celebrates scoring with Will Osula, Yoane Wissa and Harvey Barnes
Newcastle United's Anthony Elanga celebrates scoring with Will Osula, Yoane Wissa and Harvey Barnes(Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
When Anthony Elanga raced through on goal in the fourth minute of Newcastle's 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday it felt like a huge moment.
It was 12 months ago on his debut where he was faced with a similar chance against Aston Villa on his debut for the Magpies. Sandro Tonali's through ball split the Villa backline and Elanga raced on to the ball before seeing his effort from point blank range saved by Marco Bizot.
The £55million summer signing would go on to struggle in his first season on Tyneside, looking a shadow of the player who had grabbed six goals and 12 assists the season previously with Nottingham Forest. Despite scoring a brace against Barcelona in the Champions League and a goal in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester City, the Swedish international scored zero Premier League goals in his first season for the Magpies.
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That miss at Villa Park felt like a sliding doors moment and there was an inescapable sense of de ja vu on Sunday when that chance presented itself.
Elanga had enjoyed a fantastic World Cup, scoring twice as Sweden qualified for the knockout stages before losing to France, and has looked electric during pre-season, too. In order for that positive momentum to continue he had to take his chance on Sunday, and he did just that, sprinting 61 yards to beat Milos Kerkez to Will Osula's through ball before rifling his effort across Alisson and into the bottom left-hand corner.
It not only gave Newcastle an early lead but an insight into how Matthias Jaissle wants to get the best out of the 24-year-old this season and using his electric pace to Newcastle's advantage.
The Magpies want to be aggressive and front footed in their press and they want to be ruthlessly efficient when they recover possession. Jaissle wants his team to be as close to the goal as quickly as possible. Elanga will be key in that.
He started on the right hand side of Newcastle's 4-2-3-1 formation with Yoane Wissa playing in the No 10 role behind Will Osula up front. But Wissa and Osula's work off the ball was notable and it actually allowed Elanga to 'cheat' a bit defensively in order to make him their principal threat going forward.
Wissa was involved in more duels than any other Newcastle player on the pitch (19) and won more fouls (four) than any of his team-mates. His industry took him everywhere on the pitch and Osula worked back, too, to help his team-mates.
It meant Elanga's average position was the highest forward of all of Newcastle's players on the day, allowing the Magpies to keep him as an outlet for their counter-attacks.
Anthony Elanga (19) had the highest average position of any of Newcastle's starters vs Liverpool
Anthony Elanga (19) had the highest average position of any of Newcastle's starters vs Liverpool(Image: Opta)
But even when he was deeper, he could still affect things going forward which is what his goal displayed. He had to travel from deep inside his own half to latch on to the ball, leaving Kerkez for dead before firing Newcastle ahead. The manner in which he did so even had Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher comparing him to Thierry Henry.
"Look at Elanga and the distance he has got to make up on Kerkez," Carragher said on Monday Night Football. "It reminds me of Thierry Henry against me so I can't say too much but Elanga has ran 61 yards before he touches the ball. The first touch is sensational and the finish is brilliant as well."
According to Opta, Elanga and Wissa were Newcastle's best players on the day, both scoring 7.84 on their points metric ratings system.
Having failed to score in 32 Premier League appearances last season, managing to do so in the opening game this season should give him huge belief and a platform to build on heading into the rest of the campaign.