Drawing 1-1 with Everton was very disappointing for Newcastle United, but there were plenty of positives to take from Tuesday night’s game.
While the immediate emotion was frustration after throwing away a 1-0 lead, Eddie Howe will be optimistic about what he saw from a lot of his Newcastle United players.
Alexander Isak continued his rich vein of form, while Bruno Guimaraes was also outstanding.
Lewis Hall impressed on his first start since November, while Dan Burn was probably the Magpies’ best player. He moved from left-back to centre-back, and looked much more comfortable.
Those four players did themselves justice against Everton, as did a man who was starting his first Newcastle United game since October.
Eddie Howe made a big change to his Newcastle midfield
Eddie Howe made four changes to the team that started against West Ham, one of which saw Joe Willock drop to the bench.
He was replaced by Elliot Anderson, who was in the Newcastle starting XI for the first time since October 8th 2023. On that day, he played the full 90 minutes as the Magpies drew 2-2 with the Hammers.
On April 2nd 2024, Anderson was back in the Newcastle side, starting on the left of the Magpies’ midfield trio.
It was a reward for doing so well off the bench at the weekend, and he was just as impressive as a starter.
Elliot Anderson was outstanding against Everton
Anderson was really impressive against Everton. He was at the heart of everything good about the Magpies’ performance, and we were noticeably weaker when he came off.
The 21-year-old, who Howe said was ‘outstanding’ in pre-season, looks so mature now, blending his raw ability on the ball with relentless pressing and tactical astuteness. He could be seen barking out orders and communicating with his teammates, showcasing a level of confidence that we did not see in his early days.
Anderson looks so ready to be a regular starter in the Premier League now, and that needs to happen between now and the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
Howe must start Anderson regularly for Newcastle now
Newcastle have struggled with injuries all season, with Anderson suffering a back injury that cost him four months of his career. He was a big miss, as he would have played a lot given Sandro Tonali’s suspension.
Now he is fully fit and keen to make up for lost time, and Howe must reward his recent form with an extended run in the starting lineup.
Anderson should be playing ahead of Sean Longstaff, who once again looked off the pace on Tuesday night. His passing was worryingly wayward, and it was another disappointing display from the local lad.
With eight games to go, Howe cannot afford to have any passengers in his side as he aims to qualify for Europe. That is why Anderson now needs to be starting every week, as he looks primed to have a major impact in what remains of the Premier League season.
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