Elliot Anderson response puts pressure on Allan…

Elliot Anderson response puts pressure on Allan Saint-Maximin hours after Eddie Howe promise

Just 36 hours after Eddie Howe vowed to give Elliot Anderson more opportunities in a black and white shirt - he delivered.

The 20-year-old, who has spent the majority of this season on the cusp of the first-team, was introduced off the bench in the 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest. His cameo was brimming with confidence, which showed as he found the net for his first Newcastle United goal, only to see it strangely ruled out.

Anderson may now be about to reap the rewards of such a decent display from the bench with extra minutes for the Magpies. "Now he's come back to full fitness, and he's been fit for a while, so he's now built that resilience in his body. He looks in a good place, he's certainly going to be needed, and he's going to get opportunities between now and the end of the season," Howe said before the win at the City Ground.

Anderson's impressive performance adds yet more pressure onto the shoulders of Allan Saint-Maximin, the man he replaced at half-time on Friday evening. The Frenchman has only just returned to the starting XI himself a string of injuries earlier this term.

Saint-Maximin, who often splits opinion on Tyneside, is struggling to add goals or assists to his game. The former Nice winger has only notched once this season.

Saint-Maximin now has Anderson, Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, Joelinton and Jacob Murphy fighting for positions out wide, meaning the pressure is on.

Murphy has already won his starting spot back, Almiron has enjoyed a fine season, Joelinton has proven his versatility, Gordon was given the nod from the outset before struck down by injury and Anderson grasped an opportunity with both hands.

After working so hard to win his spot back in recent weeks, it's now Saint-Maximin on the back foot to deliver. “Allan wasn’t quite right today, physically, I didn’t think. He’s been carrying a tight hamstring," Howe said after replacing the wide man at half-time.

"I don’t think it’s a pull, it’s just a little bit of tightness. For me, it was obvious during that first half that he probably wouldn’t be able to carry on."

For Anderson, the opportunity is there for him to play a big part at the business end of the season. A decent run of games for the youngster would justify the decision not to loan him out either last summer or back in January.

And he's already received high praise from his Newcastle skipper. "Do you know what? We have a lot of talks, me and Elliot," Kieran Trippier said of Anderson.

"He's a young lad with so much potential, I really mean that. It's crazy really how good he is. He just needs to be patient and keep working hard as he's been doing.

"I thought he was unbelievable in the second half when he came on. He's got a massive future ahead of him, he just has to keep being patient."

Elliot Anderson response puts pressure on Allan Saint-Maximin hours after Eddie Howe promise

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