Steve Bruce has showered praise on Newcastle United youngster Elliot Anderson, branding his game ‘effortless’.
The 18-year-old made his first-team debut against Arsenal in the FA Cup on Saturday night, replacing Joelinton in the 81st minute.
The North Shields-born midfielder delivered a really bright cameo at the Emirates Stadium, which has already led to calls from fans for him to feature more.
Given the disappointing nature of the season, Anderson’s emergence has really given fans a boost, and Bruce is happy with the teenager’s progression.
He said (Chronicle): “Well, I think you’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you? As soon as he comes on to the pitch, he accepts the ball and receives the ball,” Bruce told reporters on Zoom.
“He never looks rushed. Everything is effortless to him and easy. We hope he’s got a big future.
“He’ll remember his debut. He could have scored in the last minute, couldn’t he? What a wonderful debut that would have been.
“I’m very pleased with his progress and he’s one that we hope can do us a good turn over the season.”
Anderson the beacon of hope
There just hasn’t been a great deal to shout about this season – certainly in a positive sense anyway.
But Anderson’s emergence is something many Newcastle fans would really like to believe in.
He looked very comfortable on Saturday night despite the magnitude of the occasion, and hopefully Bruce will give him a suitable amount of chances to make an impression going forwards.
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