Newcastle United secured a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon, as Elliot Anderson endured a disappointing return to St James’ Park. The result capped off a strong response from Eddie Howe’s side after their loss to Arsenal the previous weekend. The Magpies had already made a statement in Europe with a 4-0 thrashing of Union Saint-Gilloise before seeing off Ange Postecoglou’s Forest in the league.
Bruno Guimaraes opened the scoring with a brilliant curling effort before winning a penalty after dispossessing Anderson in the box. Nick Woltemade calmly converted from the spot to seal a 2-0 victory, reflecting Newcastle’s dominant second-half display.
For Anderson, however, the afternoon was bittersweet. The 22-year-old midfielder has been one of the breakout stars of the season, excelling for Forest and earning recognition on the international stage with England. Yet, his return to his boyhood club ended in defeat — a reminder of what Newcastle lost when they sold him in 2024 due to Profit and Sustainability Rule (PSR) pressures.
Jamie Carragher weighed in on the situation, describing Anderson’s sale as a decision that could haunt Newcastle for years. Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher suggested that the club might have been better off selling a top midfielder, such as Bruno Guimaraes or Sandro Tonali, to keep Anderson — a move that would have been painful but potentially wiser in the long term. He acknowledged, however, that Anderson’s homegrown status made him pure profit under PSR rules, making his sale an appealing short-term fix for the club’s financial predicament.
“He’s just a great footballer,” Carragher said. “When you think of the situation Newcastle have been in PSR-wise, that is the one that’s got away. Maybe if a big offer had come in for one of the star midfielders, it would’ve hurt, but perhaps they could have kept Anderson and developed him instead.”
The loss of Anderson stings even more when compared to the departure of Yankuba Minteh in the same summer window. While Minteh has impressed at Brighton after leaving for the Seagulls, Newcastle fans never saw him play competitively for their club — he was loaned to Feyenoord immediately after joining from Odense in 2023.
Anderson’s case is different. A lifelong Newcastle supporter from Whitley Bay, he represented the heart and identity of the club. Many believe he should have been lining up alongside Guimaraes and Tonali, forming one of the most dynamic midfields in the Premier League. Instead, Anderson is flourishing elsewhere, leaving Newcastle fans to wonder what might have been if the club had chosen another path.
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