Jamie Carragher praised Elliot Anderson after Manchester City’s win over Liverpool but insisted Declan Rice remains the ‘best midfielder’ in the Premier League.
Man City summer signing Anderson produced yet another impressive display to help Enzo Maresca’s side clinch an emphatic 3-0 win at Anfield on Sunday.
In their first game since being found guilty of breaching Premier League financial regulations over a nine-year period, Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the season and climbed three points above defending champions Arsenal.
Liverpool kept Man City at bay for an hour but the tide immediately turned after midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was sent off for a second yellow card.
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The visitors quickly took control after gaining a numerical advantage, Erling Haaland breaking the deadlock with an emphatic finish on 65 minutes.
Jeremy Doku cut inside from the left-hand side and curled a brilliant strike past the helpless Alisson Becker as Manchester City doubled their lead.
Rayan Cherki added a third late on as Man City ran out comfortable winners in one of the most anticipated games in recent Premier League history.
England international Anderson has enjoyed a superb start to his career at the Etihad Stadium following his £116m summer move from Nottingham Forest.
Manchester United legend Gary Neville described Anderson’s performance at Anfield as ‘absolutely outstanding’ and said he looks ‘worth every penny’ that Man City paid for him.
‘I thought Elliot Anderson was absolutely outstanding,’ Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast.
‘There were big, big question marks about the fee and whether he could replace Rodri and become a player to play at this level because he was coming from Nottingham Forest.
‘But he’s answered all of those questions already, he’s been absolutely outstanding and looks like a real top performer.
‘When Declan Rice moved to Arsenal we knew they were getting gold, we knew they were getting a fantastic player who would do a great job for them and be a difference-maker and could help them get to the title.
‘I don’t think we thought that Elliot Anderson was maybe in that category or on that level, but his knowledge of the game and his understanding of his position has been really impressive.
‘He’s dominated big matches at Anfield and Old Trafford, he’s been outstanding and looks like he’s worth every single penny or more.’
Carragher also reserved special praise for Anderson and said he now looks like the second-best midfielder in the Premier League behind Arsenal’s Rice.
‘If you’re a Newcastle fan watching Elliot Anderson… they had to sell him but you think now could they have sold someone else and kept him?’ Carragher said.
‘It wasn’t a lot of money that they sold him for and you’re now looking at arguably the best midfield player in the country alongside Declan Rice.
‘I would always put Declan Rice on top of that list, certainly at the end of last season when he helped Arsenal win the title.
‘It should bode well for England as well going forward, they’ve got two midfielders there who are right at the top of the class in the Premier League.’
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