Elliot Anderson produced another masterful performance as Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield.
Jamie Carragher believes Newcastle United will be kicking themselves for losing Elliot Anderson.
The Whitley Bay native scooped another man-of-the-match award as Manchester City smashed Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield. Anderson ran the game - just as he did at Old Trafford before the international break - to continue justifying his £116million price tag.
In 2024, the Magpies were facing a Premier League points deduction. Toon chiefs frantically sold Anderson and Minteh - the two best prospects at the club - to avoid breaching the rules.
A meteoric rise since has resulted in Anderson becoming an established Premier League star at Nottingham Forest and England regular. He starred during the World Cup before securing a big-money move to Man City.
The Gazette has launched a WhatsApp NUFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone.Simply click this linkto join our NUFC WhatsApp channel.
Jamie Carragher makes Newcastle United comment
Still only 23, Anderson is being tipped to dominate at the top level for years to come. Speaking to Sky Sports, Liverpool legend Carragher sympathised with Newcastle while questioning whether another player could have been sold.
“I mean if you're a Newcastle fan watching that, you know the mess they got themselves into with PSR and that maybe goes back to the Manchester City situation,” he said. “They had to sell players. We talk about the rules but you think, ‘Could they have sold someone else and kept him?’
“You think of the money Nottingham Forest got. I'm not even sure what Newcastle (got). It was about £15million, wasn't it? It wasn't a lot more than that. You look at him as a player now and you're looking at arguably the best midfield player in the country alongside Declan Rice.
“I’ll always put Declan Rice top of that list, certainly at the end of last season, winning the title, but it bodes well going forward for England as well, you’ve got two English players who, for me, are right at the top of the pile in the Premier League.”
Gary Neville hails Elliot Anderson
His co-pundit, Gary Neville, praised Anderson for proving the doubters wrong. He added: “In Elliott Anderson, big, big question marks about the money, big question marks can he replace Rodri, big question marks can he fill the gap and can he become a player that can play at this level.
“He's answered all those questions in the first couple of months. He's been absolutely outstanding (and) looks like a real top performer. I don't think we thought that Elliott Anderson was in that category or in that level.
“I'll tell you what, his knowledge of the game, his understanding of the position, the way in which he's now starting to stride around the pitch and the ways in which he's started to leave one on a couple of player, take the ball in difficult situations, dominate big matches like at Anfield and at Old Trafford…
“He's been outstanding, hasn't he? He's been really really good and looks like he's worth every single penny and more.”