Liverpool legend suggests shock sale could have prevented heartbreaking Newcastle United exit

Newcastle United’s home game with Nottingham Forest brought a trio of former Magpies back to St James Park - and it would safe to say they suffered somewhat contrasting fortunes during their time on Tyneside.

For Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, there was frustration as he struggled to establish himself as United number one after becoming Rafa Benitez’s first signing following his appointment as permanent manager during the summer of 2016. The Belgian stopper made just 14 appearances before going to enjoy more productive spells with the likes of Strasbourg and Anderlecht before returning to England with Forest in February last year.

Chris Wood was one of several signings made during the January 2022 transfer window as a PIF-led consortium looked to improve Eddie Howe’s squad in a bid to avoid relegation into the Championship. The New Zealand international only found the net on five occasions in 39 appearances for the Magpies before a loan move to Forest was converted into a permanent switch during the summer of 2023.

However, it was the sale of academy product Elliot Anderson to Forest that caused major pain at St James Park as the Magpies battle with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations forced the United hierarchy into emergency action as they looked to avoid a points deduction.

Despite receiving tentative interest in the likes of Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, the Magpies opted to begrudgingly authorise the sale of Anderson to Forest and the Whitley Bay-born midfielder has gone on to help the City Ground club qualify for Europe and has progressed into the senior England squad for the first time in his career.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher discussed the events of last summer and hinted the Magpies should have considered the sale of one of their key midfielders to allow them to hand Anderson a regular starting place.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s home clash with Forest, the former Liverpool man told Sky Sports: “He’s just a great footballer and when you think of the situation Newcastle have been in PSR-wise, he’s the one that got away. In some ways from Newcastle, if an offer had come in for one of the star players in midfield, it would have been a wrench but maybe you keep him and blood him. Right now, when you look at the England squad that’s been picked, with no Jude Bellingham in there, the manager Thomas Tuchel is sending a message out there.

“He plays in that area as well and right now, it looks like he has a fantastic partnership with Declan Rice for England - but he needs to create one with Nottingham Forest. It’s Yates in there with him today and to get something today, a good result, positive, I am sure he will be at the heart of it.”

What has Eddie Howe said about the sale of Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, the Magpies boss said: “Yeah, we knew that [Anderson was a bargain]. We knew that the minute it was going to happen, and likely to happen, that we were massively selling him a big discount. But the position we were in, we weren't in a very strong negotiating position at all. And it was that or a points deduction. So I said many times we had no choice but to make the sale, but it was not one we wanted to do.

“It certainly was a rushed deal because we were on the clock and trying to explore every avenue to try and find another way to beat a points deduction. But in terms of buy-backs, we weren't in a good bargaining position at all, so our strength to negotiate those things was non-existent.”

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