With comments on his unveiling as a City player, the midfielder has ensured a fiery atmosphere around 13 September
When Elliot Anderson completed his £116m transfer to Manchester City from Nottingham Forest, he could have said anything.
The canvas was empty. The media world was his oyster.
The England midfielder made his choice, and he took the explosive route, which will now surely heat up the next Manchester derby on 13 September.
The 23-year-old has signed a contract until 2031 after City finalised a move following his return from the World Cup. The midfielder had been one of Manchester United’s top targets this summer, if not first on their list, but United were unwilling to compete anywhere near the quoted figures and it is understood Anderson had always favoured a move to the Etihad.
On his unveiling as a City player, Anderson spoke of City’s winning record. He spoke of dominance. And then he crowned it with an incendiary description of City as the “kings of Manchester”, right after a mention of the Manchester derby as “one of the biggest derbies in the world”.
“It’s one of the biggest derbies in the world and for as long as I’ve known Manchester, City have been the kings of Manchester,” Anderson said. “It’ll be a great fixture and I can’t wait to be involved in something like that.”
And to take matters up a notch, the first league meeting between City and United, on that 13 September, will take place at Old Trafford. The last player to stir up the pot in such a manner was Rayan Cherki, who after losing to United with Lyon in the Europa League, joined City and said he would “kill” United.
Explaining further why he chose City, Anderson said: “They’re winners, they’re relentless, and that’s the sort of team I want to be a part of – champions and people who win trophies.
“Over the last 10, 12 years, they’ve dominated, so that’s why I wanted to join. It’s happened quite quick, but I think I always believed I could get to this point and this is where I want to be. Now that I’m here, I’ll keep pushing and try to take this club forward.”
City are leading United in victories in the last 10 Manchester derbies (W6, L3, D1).
