Micah Richards has identified Elliot Anderson as Manchester City’s best player so far this season, with the summer signing from Nottingham Forest increasingly looking like the man tasked with filling the void left by Rodri in midfield.
The former City defender made the claim in an interview with Goal, pointing to Anderson’s consistency across City’s opening months under new head coach Enzo Maresca, who took charge at the Etihad over the summer following Pep Guardiola’s departure.
A case built on substance over spectacle
Richards acknowledged that City have no shortage of candidates for player of the season so far. From Erling Haaland’s relentless goal tally to bright spells from Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki but argued that none have matched Anderson’s all-round influence.
According to the former England international, Anderson‘s value lies in his reliability at both ends of the pitch, a trait he believes sets the midfielder apart in a City side still finding its identity under Maresca.
Richards pointed specifically to Anderson’s assist for Haaland against RB Leipzig as proof of his growing influence, calling the pass just unbelievable.
“I think he’s actually been Man City’s best player this season. Obviously, Haaland scores a lot of the goals, and Haaland does what Haaland does, essentially. I think [Iliman] Ndiaye has done all right coming in. [Jeremy] Doku has played really well in spells. [Rayan] Cherki has been amazing in spells,” he said.
“If you’re looking for consistency, whether that be defensive work or going forward, his [Anderson’s] pass the other night for Haaland’s goal against Leipzig, it was just unbelievable. I think he’s been amazing.”
It is a notable endorsement for a player who endured an unconvincing start to life at City, struggling in the Community Shield defeat before gradually working his way into Maresca’s first-choice midfield.
The £116m deal that brought Anderson from the City Ground last summer was always going to invite scrutiny given the scale of the fee and the shoes he was being asked to fill, but Richards believes the early signs are promising.
Settling into a more structured role
Part of the adjustment for Anderson has been tactical. At Forest, he was given licence to express himself and roam with relative freedom.
Under Maresca, his role has become more defined, shaped in large part by who he is sharing the pitch with.
When paired with Enzo Fernández, whose instinct is to push forward and support the attack, Anderson has had to show greater defensive discipline to avoid leaving City exposed through the middle.
Alongside Ayyoub Bouaddi, by contrast, he has had more freedom to get forward and dictate play himself.
That balancing act, between structure and expression, has become a defining feature of City’s midfield this season as Maresca continues to blend new signings with the club’s existing core.
Anderson’s relationships with Fernández, Cherki and Bouaddi are still developing, and there is an acceptance both inside and outside the club that it will take time for those partnerships to fully click.
