21-year-old Newcastle star's stats show him in top 3% in Europe's top five leagues for several metrics

After Bruno Guimaraes' amazing duels stats and Anthony Gordon's chance creation numbers, Newcastle United have another player flying high in the numbers game.

Newcastle United proved on Saturday that stats don't really matter. Having had just 28% possession against Tottenham Hotspur, the Magpies ran out 4-0 winners and effectively dominated the game without having the ball.

However, with all the metrics that stat nerds follow these days, there has to be some meaning attributed to them, and @MagpieMediaX on X have dug up the stats from FBref for Elliot Anderson and it quite clearly shows just how much we've missed him this season.

Anderson has missed a huge chunk of the season through a back injury, but since he's made his return to action he's looked nothing short of phenomenal, which is perfect timing given that Joe Willock will now miss the rest of the season.

Anderson's is up there with the best of Europe

FBref notes that these stats are based on 923 minutes played over the last year, so it's only comparing him against his peers for the actual time he's played, which gives the stats even more weight as it's a direct 1:1 comparison rather than simply comparing all players over the last 365 days regardless of game time.

The 21-year-old academy graduate sits in the top three per cent of players in Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches in the attacking box, and progressive passes received.

That shows just how much of a powerhouse he is going forward and how much he's always trying to get Newcastle on the front foot.

He just needs to add goals to his game to become the complete package

He's defensively no slouch either as we'll always see him running down opposing players to recover the ball and get Newcastle back on the attack.

The Geordie Maradona is much more than the quick-footed midfielder he's been made out to be, his strength and his tenacity make him a phenomenal opponent.

All that's missing from his game now is goals, but he's shown at youth level, and indeed in pre-season that he knows where the back of the net is, he just needs that one senior goal to open the floodgates.