When Elliot Anderson completed a £116m transfer from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City, the midfielder’s reputation had already soared. Now, as he prepares to return to the City Ground on Saturday, the question is whether Elliot Anderson at Man City is meeting the considerable expectations that accompanied his move.
A stellar rise
Anderson, 24, left Newcastle before establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s standout central midfielders at Forest. His performances over two seasons attracted interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, but City won the race. He has also become a key figure for England, helping Thomas Tuchel’s side to a third-placed finish at this summer’s World Cup.
European football expert Guillem Balague recalled asking City manager Enzo Maresca in the summer about potential moves for Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. According to Balague, Maresca dismissed the idea and said Anderson would become the key player for England, not just City.
Early impact at the Etihad
Anderson’s influence at City is already evident. Though he has not fully replicated the league-leading dominance he showed at Forest, his underlying numbers remain elite. He has drawn more fouls (28) than any other player in the division, ranks second for duels won (66), and sits third for successful passes (610) and touches (851). Only Tottenham’s Jan Paul van Hecke and Arsenal’s Declan Rice have completed more successful passes in the opposition half and line-breaking passes than Anderson, despite the City midfielder playing at least 66 minutes fewer than both.
Operating as a deep-lying number six, Anderson has one goal and two assists in 14 games this season. He did provide the assist for Erling Haaland’s winner against RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday. Haaland was full of praise afterwards, saying Anderson has been amazing and has made an impressive start, noting that new players need to adapt to a new coach and that Anderson has earned respect.
Maresca’s faith
Maresca has been struck by Anderson’s desire to learn. The City manager told BBC Sport that Anderson wants to understand things, improve daily, and that for a manager it is a dream to have a player so eager to develop. During a training session open to the media before the Leipzig trip, Anderson emerged alone, doing kick-ups with laser focus on the ball—perhaps a hint at his steely determination. He was first to step up in a group drill and was deemed the winner.
Forest supporter Ellie Molloson told BBC Sport that the stadium will be ringing with “Geordie Maradona” on his return. She said it will be bittersweet because Forest miss him but are proud of his progress. Molloson added that Forest fans would have him back in a heartbeat, praising his intelligence, leadership, and phenomenal ability.
Tactical adjustments
Maresca sees Anderson as City’s number six this season, a role that differs from his previous box-to-box duties. After City’s 4–1 win over Crystal Palace in August, Anderson said he is loving the role but it is different from what he has been used to. He noted that he has to be more structured and stay in his position, whereas at Forest he did a little bit more.
Anderson’s physicality, intensity, and intelligence make him excellent at pressing high or wide, winning the ball, and starting attacks. When City have pressed man-to-man but been played through, Anderson has often stopped attacks alone. His value in a more expansive role was seen in his assist for Haaland at Leipzig, as he drove with the ball before playing a cross reminiscent of Kevin de Bruyne.
However, his front-footedness has been exploited. Some opponents position themselves near him before moving away, enticing him to follow. Sunderland’s Enzo le Fee made constant off-the-ball runs around and beyond Anderson in September, and the England midfielder tracked those runs, leaving space in front of City’s defence. Paris Saint-Germain and Brighton also used decoy runs to pull Anderson away, creating space in midfield.
Ayyoub Bouaddi has been trialled alongside Anderson in midfield. When Anderson vacates the holding position to press, a second defensive midfielder can help protect the centre. In 2021, Pep Guardiola reflected on Rodri’s first season, saying the holding midfielder has to stay in position. Rodri later won the Ballon d’Or in 2024. City will hope Anderson’s positional understanding develops similarly.
Return to the City Ground
Anderson may receive a generous reception at the City Ground on Saturday. Few Forest fans will begrudge him his whopping move, and his early showings for City suggest he is on the right track. The hype was immense, but Anderson’s work-rate, humility, and elite underlying numbers indicate he is managing the step up. Whether he can fully replicate his Forest dominance remains to be seen, but the early signs are promising.
