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Has Anderson lived up to the hype after Man City move?
Elliot Anderson’s £116m move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City brought high expectations after two standout seasons in the Premier League and a growing role with England. Early performances suggest he is adapting well, with City manager Enzo Maresca seeing him as a future key player for both club and country.
Last season Anderson led the league in several measures, including touches, possession wins, duels and fouls drawn, despite Forest’s struggles. This season, in a deep-lying midfield role, he has drawn 28 fouls, won 66 duels and made 610 successful passes and 851 touches; he has also recorded one goal and two assists in 14 games. Erling Haaland praised his fast start, while Forest supporters say they are proud of his progress ahead of his return to the City Ground.
In short
- Anderson is adjusting quickly to life at Manchester City.
- His underlying numbers remain among the Premier League’s best.
- He has one goal and two assists in 14 appearances.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Anderson’s early numbers suggest he is already contributing beyond goals and assists: he is winning duels, drawing fouls and helping City keep possession from a deeper role. Given his age and his strong record at Forest, his smooth adaptation and praise from Haaland support the view that the £116m fee reflects both present value and potential.
The case against
The fee creates a high bar, and one goal and two assists in 14 games may leave room to question whether Anderson has yet delivered the attacking influence expected of such a major signing. Strong possession and defensive statistics show useful work, but they do not alone establish that he has become a decisive, indispensable player for City; the judgement may depend on his impact over a longer spell.