Elliot Anderson: Man City new boy is what England have 'been missing for the past decade'

Manchester City midfielder Elliot Anderson was at his usual consistent best on Sunday as England beat Mexico 3-2 to make it to the World Cup quarter-final.

Goals from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane cancelled out strikes from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez, as Thomas Tuchel's side were forced to play with 10 men for much of the second half.

Jarell Quansah was sent off shortly after the break, after referee Alireza Faghan was sent to the monitor to look at his high challenge on Jesus Gallardo.

Anderson completed his £116million move to Man City from Nottingham Forest last week, with the formalities undergone in the England camp.

The 23-year-old is now the most expensive Englishman of all time, narrowly surpassing the fee Real Madrid paid to sign Bellingham.

The pair have emerged as key players for England, forming an extremely effective midfield trio with Declan Rice.

How the English media reacted to Elliot Anderson display

In the early stages against Mexico, the midfield battle was always going to be vital.

If England could win it and start to exert pressure, they would be able to quieten down the rapturous home fans and dominate possession.

Anderson, Rice and Bellingham did exactly that, stifling Mexico and scoring twice before half-time.

After Quansah's red card, however, the game became very much a case of attack against defence, and Tuchel sacrificed Anderson for an extra defender in the 75th minute.

The midfielder made an impressive five tackles in the game, as well as three clearances and four recoveries.

Of the eight duels the new Man City man made, he won six of them.

"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," wrote Lawrence Ostlere for the Independent, rating him a seven out of 10.

The Guardian opted for the same rating, and Nick Ames wrote: "Tasked with looking after Mora and largely handled the prodigy well. Tenacity played a part in Bellingham’s second goal."

Anderson unaffected by price tag

Most of the time, when a player moves for such a sizable fee, the pressure of that price tag can seep into their game.

Considering Anderson's brand new record fee, Monday's game could have easily been one that he struggled in.

Combined with the stage, the stakes and the atmosphere of the stadium, a collapse would not have been unsurprising. Anderson held strong.

It will likely help to have a player in Rice next to him, who went through an incredibly similar saga when he moved to Arsenal for £105m in 2023.