Matt Le Tissier drops verdict on Elliot Anderson vs Adam Wharton, shares ‘massive’ claim
Matt Le Tissier thinks that Elliot Anderson is ahead of Adam Wharton in the race to start for England at next year’s World Cup.
The Premier League legend and former England international has exclusively told Football Insider that he feels Thomas Tuchel’s midfield issues have evaporated with the emergence of both players but the starting spot is the Nottingham Forest star’s to lose.
Adam Wharton was handed a first competitive start for the Three Lions on Sunday (16 November) as they beat Albania 2-0 to win all eight of their qualifying games.
Elliot Anderson was rested after starting in all of his first five England caps, but impressed once he came onto the pitch as the two young stars look set to battle it out to start for Tuchel’s side going forward next to Declan Rice.
Anderson and Wharton are battling it out to partner Declan Rice
Tuchel recently praised Anderson as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” following a standout start to the campaign with Forest.
A lot has been made of Wharton‘s lack of chances for England so far, but Tuchel called him up for the first time in this round of fixtures after his own strong start to the new season at Crystal Palace.
Wharton was given his international debut a year before the Nottingham Forest man, and the onus is on him to prove that he can challenge Anderson heading into the World Cup.
Football Insider recently revealed that Liverpool are interested in Anderson alongside Man City, while Wharton is wanted by some of the world’s biggest clubs for his impressive Palace performances, so they clearly both have very bright futures.
Anderson ‘ahead’ of Wharton in England tussle – Le Tissier
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former England and Southampton striker Le Tissier insisted that both players are top quality but Anderson is, in his opinion, ahead of Wharton when it comes to England places.
He said: “Do you know what, I think the fact that he (Anderson) was left out of the team in the first place is a massive compliment to him, because obviously they rested quite a few players.
“If you’re one of those players that’s getting rested, it kind of means the manager’s got a pretty high opinion of you.
“I like Adam Wharton as a player, I think he’s got some real good qualities about him as well, but I think at the moment Elliot Anderson is just a little bit ahead of him. I really like what he’s been doing this season.
“He looks really comfortable in that England team. And yeah, he sets the tone, he sets the pace of the game and does it very, very well, and I think he’s a great foil for Declan Rice in the midfield there.
“I don’t think there’s that much between them, to be honest with you, when they’re both on top form. So a lot will depend on consistency and if either of them pick up any injuries during the second half of the season.
“I think we’ve got some real good options in that midfield there to go alongside Rice, which was a spot which might have been considered a little bit of a problem a few months back, but not anymore, I don’t think.”