Elliot Anderson blows two rivals out of the water, expert is impressed by what he’s seen
Thomas Tuchel has a number of key decisions about his England squad still to make before the World Cup kicks off at the end of the season.
The boss’ most recent squad selection raised concerns, as Jack Grealish’s displays have seen him tipped for a return while the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Jordan Henderson remained.
On top of that, the decision to exclude Jude Bellingham from the squad has led to further criticism given his previous importance to the national team.
However, a 3-0 win against Wales followed by a 5-0 win against Latvia have helped ease those concerns and shift the focus towards praising the performances.
The victories also allowed the players selected to prove themselves, with one in particular standing out and now heavily backed to go to the World Cup.
Elliot Anderson will go to the World Cup with England
Elliot Anderson has been backed to stay in the England squad long-term thanks to his impressive displays since making his debut in September.
His performances against Wales and Latvia have now established him as an important player under Tuchel, and it is increasingly likely he will go to the World Cup.
That is according to former Man United and Sunderland chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the deep-lying midfield position is now Anderson’s to lose.
“Anderson has made a real strong case for the position,” he told Football Insider.
“In most top sides, at club level and international level, they have a player like him in that role, and he’s certainly become an important player for England.
“He’s brought a new dimension to the team, he’s all-action, gets all over the pitch, puts his foot in, wins the ball back and then immediately looks to play it forward.
“It’s a role I think England have struggled with for a while, but it’s starting to become more important.
“You can see in the games Anderson has played what a difference he’s made already.
“There’s been a lot of talk about Adam Wharton and Jordan Henderson, but he’s been given the opportunity and grabbed it with both hands.
“I think it would be fair to say it’s his place to lose now.”
Elliot has been widely praised for his England performances, with some suggestions he is now crucial to the style of play, particularly after what he did against Latvia.
Thomas Tuchel has high praise for Anderson’s performances
Tuchel was slammed for leaving Wharton out of his squad given the midfielder’s form for Crystal Palace, but Anderson has been allowed to thrive in his absence.
The Nottingham Forest star has firmly established himself as the leading contender in the deeper midfield role, and has also received high praise from his manager while doing so.
Following the September international break, Tuchel labelled Anderson “a very, very good footballer”, and hinted at his potential involvement in the World Cup squad.
The England boss has not been shy of making big decisions regarding his squad, and it seems a number of key areas are now beginning to take shape.
Alongside Anderson, the likes of Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Marc Guehi and Jordan Pickford are also regarded as nailed-on starters at the World Cup in 2026.
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