Elliot Anderson left Anfield with the match ball’s worth of attention after Manchester City’s 3-0 win at Liverpool, producing the sort of midfield display that makes a difficult away ground feel rather smaller than it is. City’s summer signing, bought from Nottingham Forest for €135 million, was named man of the match after driving Enzo Maresca’s side through the noise and into three valuable points.
A commanding afternoon in City’s midfield
The England international partnered Enzo Fernández at the base of Maresca’s 1-4-2-3-1 system and delivered his most complete outing since joining City. Anderson, formerly of Newcastle United as well as Forest, covered the pitch with relentless industry while also setting the rhythm in possession.
- He ran 11.5 kilometres, more than any other player.
- Among outfield players, he registered the most touches with 104.
- He completed 73 of 81 passes.
- He won 12 of his 18 duels.
- He made six recoveries.
- Liverpool fouled him eight times, a total not reached by any Premier League player in a single game for 10 seasons.
There was craft alongside the graft. Anderson completed 14 line-breaking passes and made eight successful deliveries in the final third, repeatedly moving City beyond Liverpool’s midfield pressure.
The pass that opened the door for Doku
His finest moment came in the move for City’s second goal. Anderson switched play over 35 metres to find Jérémy Doku, who escaped Víctor Muñoz before sending a finish into the far top corner, beyond Alisson’s reach, for 2-0.
It was a decisive passage in a match City controlled on the scoreboard, and one that underlined why Anderson’s expensive arrival has attracted so much scrutiny. At Anfield, however, the fee looked less like a burden than a statement of intent.
Anderson welcomes the Anfield din
Anderson said the hostile setting brought the best out of him. “I enjoy the crowd and the noise. That kind of atmosphere suits me; it is when I really come alive. I enjoy it and it gives me confidence,” he said.
Even after collecting the individual award, he turned quickly to the collective effort. Anderson pointed to City’s quality and to Maresca, while stressing that the newly assembled group can still grow.
He said the visitors had shown togetherness and fight in a stadium where results are rarely handed out cheaply.
- City stayed united under pressure, he said.
- The side fought for one another and played with courage.
- Anderson described the win as an important three-point return from a demanding fixture.
High praise after a high-priced midfield battle
The performance also drew pointed comparison with Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz, with Anderson judged to have won the contest between two midfielders carrying €135 million price tags. Jamie Carragher called City’s purchase a bargain despite the scale of the outlay, while Gary Neville said Anderson takes charge of the biggest matches.
For City, the result was a 3-0 victory with several contributors. For Anderson, it was the afternoon when the centre of the pitch belonged to him.
