Elliot Anderson admits he loves playing with £93k-a-week Newcastle man after friendly win

Add as preferred source on Google

Elliot Anderson has admitted he really enjoys playing alongside Newcastle United teammate Allan Saint-Maximin.

Anderson was speaking to the club’s media after their 3-2 win over Gateshead yesterday.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe handed Elliot Anderson and Allan Saint-Maximin starts in their opening friendly of the summer.

Gateshead were two goals in front in the first half as Newcastle made a couple of mistakes at the back and failed to convert their chances.

Matt Ritchie, Sean Longstaff and Saint-Maximin should all have found the back of the net.

In the second half, the Frenchman pounced on a loose ball to play Anderson in as he started the Newcastle comeback.

Howe moved the young Scot into a centre-forward position and linked up well with his teammates.

Anderson returned the favour for Saint-Maximin to score Newcastle’s equaliser before youngster Jay Turner-Cooke scored the winner.

Howe would have been pleased with his side’s comeback, even if there was some obvious rustiness among the squad.

Anderson praises Newcastle teammate Saint-Maximin

Asked about what it’s like to play with the French attacker, Anderson said: “Yeah really good, it’s good to play with Allan [Saint-Maximin].

“Obviously, he’s got huge talent and you never really know what he’s going to do but it’s great to play with him and obviously assist him.”

The £93,000-a-week winger might not be Anderson’s teammate for much longer.

There’s plenty of talk that Saint-Maximin might be leaving St. James’ Park this summer.

He’s been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia and Premier League rivals Everton are also keen.

Newcastle want to sign Harvey Barnes and his arrival could push Saint-Maximin further down the pecking order.

The tricky winger is incredibly difficult to stop on his day but fell out of favour with Howe last season.

After starting the campaign so brightly, injuries once again hampered his progress and he was mainly used as an impact substitute.

Saint-Maximin is very talented but lacks the end product that Howe demands from his wide forwards.

Anderson and Saint-Maximin linked up well for Newcastle yesterday, but translating that into a performance against a Premier League side is a different matter.

The Frenchman will want his future decided as quickly as possible so he can prepare properly for the upcoming campaign.