Newcastle United were led a merry dance by Manchester City and Phil Foden on Saturday night.
While the scoreline was close at 1-0, the Magpies never looked like getting a result. It was a tight game, but there was a clear gulf between Newcastle and Man City.
There is no shame in that. After all, Man City won the treble last season. They have won three Premier Leagues on the bounce and are the champions of Europe.
They are at a level that the Newcastle owners dream of reaching. However, it will be easier said than done, with the Magpies unable to simply rely on just splashing the cash and buying the best players around.
We need to nurture our own talent, and we saw exactly why on Saturday night.
Newcastle need Elliot Anderson to become their own Phil Foden
While Sven Botman was outstanding for Newcastle, the best player on the pitch was Foden. He was the talisman for City, with everything good going through him.
He was deployed in the middle of the park due to the absence of Kevin de Bruyne, and appeared to thrive with the added responsibility.
Newcastle could not get close to him, and he is growing into one of the Premier League’s top talents. Pep Guardiola has been very careful with him, but Saturday night’s performance could be the start of an exceptional season for Foden.
And that is what Newcastle will hope for Elliot Anderson. Like Foden, he is a local lad who has rose through the ranks at the perfect time. When Foden got his break at City, they were serial winners. For Anderson, he has become a first-team player when Newcastle are under new ownership and set to return to the Champions League.
He was our star in pre-season, and did really well off the bench against Man City at the weekend. He was brave and played with confidence, which is what you want from a creative midfielder.
Foden is not the finished article, but he is key to Guardiola’s side. He is an academy graduate and a local lad – someone you want to build the team around.
The same goes for Anderson, who at 20-years-old is hoping to enjoy his breakout year in black and white.
He still has a long way to go before reaching Foden’s level, but hopefully he becomes our answer to the Man City star in the coming years.