New City signing shines on World Cup stage

Elliot Anderson barely has his feet under the desk at Manchester City, but the club-record signing is already looking the part on the international stage.

The 23-year-old midfielder was at it again on Sunday, helping England edge past Mexico 3-2 to book a World Cup quarter-final spot. Goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane did the damage, cancelling out strikes from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez, with Thomas Tuchel's side playing most of the second half with ten men after Jarell Quansah's red card.

Anderson completed his £116m move from Nottingham Forest last week, with the formalities handled while he was with the England camp. That fee makes him the most expensive English player in history, narrowly surpassing the sum Real Madrid paid for Bellingham.

Midfield control

The early stages of the Mexico game were always going to be decided in midfield. Win that battle, quieten the home crowd, take control. Anderson, Rice and Bellingham did exactly that, stifling Mexico and scoring twice before half-time.

After Quansah's dismissal, the game became a defensive exercise. Tuchel sacrificed Anderson for an extra defender in the 75th minute. By that point, the numbers were already impressive: five tackles, three clearances, four recoveries, and six duels won from eight attempted.

The Independent's Lawrence Ostlere gave him a seven out of ten, writing: "Brilliant tackle to spark England's second goal. He is proving to be exactly the player this team have been missing for the past decade or more."

The Guardian's Nick Ames awarded the same rating, noting Anderson was "tasked with looking after Mora and largely handled the prodigy well. Tenacity played a part in Bellingham's second goal."

Price tag no burden

Big fees can weigh heavy. A record transfer, a World Cup knockout game, a raucous atmosphere — it could have gone wrong. It didn't.

Having Declan Rice alongside him — a player who went through a similar saga when he joined Arsenal for £105m in 2023 — surely helps. Anderson held strong when it mattered. City fans will hope that becomes a habit.