Newcastle United player reveals he’s ‘not where I want to be’ after two starts in 17

Anderson made his full debut for Newcastle in the Carabao Cup at Tranmere Rovers back in August and also started the third round match against Crystal Palace at St James’s Park earlier this month. The 20-year-old midfielder has also featured seven times off the bench for Newcastle in the Premier League this season as he awaits his full league debut.

Anderson was awarded Newcastle’s Wor Jackie award for the club’s best young player of 2022 at Sport Newcastle's annual dinner on Thursday evening. Previous recipients of the award include Aaron Hughes, Shola Ameobi, Steven Taylor and Andy Carroll.

United currently sit third in the Premier League table after 15 games and are the in-form team in the division, meaning it could prove difficult for the youngster to break into Eddie Howe’s starting line-up.

Anderson got regular senior football on loan at Bristol Rovers in League Two last season and has admitted that he’s not content sitting on the bench at Newcastle.

“I’ve been coming in off the bench but that’s not where I want to be,” he said. “I want to be in the starting XI. I’m still working every week to try and get more minutes and hopefully push my way through to achieve that.

“Coming in every day to train and living in Newcastle is great but I want to be playing more. I’m just missing that one feeling of being involved in the team every week and have that feeling of being a big player.

“I think it will come eventually. I’m still only 20 years old, and hopefully I will get there.”

Anderson didn’t feature at all for Newcastle last season under Eddie Howe but was handed an opportunity to impress in pre-season following his successful loan spell at Bristol. He was one of United’s most used players in pre-season as he started five matches, scoring once.

Although he’s itching for that first league start, Anderson is trusting the process and guidance from Magpies head coach Eddie Howe.

“There’s nobody I’d rather work under the gaffer,” Anderson told the club website. “He helps me every day and I think he’s a great manager so I think I could really improve my game further.

"In training, the information he gets across to you is really good and you are never doing the same drills. You’re always thinking about things as he’s very big on that side of the game.

“I’m trying to take every minute I have on the pitch and then try to make it a longer time when I’m next on.

“Something I’ve been a bit guilty of is maybe trying too hard when I’ve came on. That’s the tough part of a game, though, when you don’t have too much time.

“I’ve never really doubted myself. Sometimes, when things aren’t going well, you can question yourself a bit if it’s going to happen or not but you’ve got to stick with the process and trust it will come one day.”