A woeful Manchester United side so laboured, predictable and poor last season were beaten at the City Ground by a single goal, a wonder goal, scored by a player they’d allowed to leave two years earlier.
“He’s a special boy,” said Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo of Anthony Elanga.
“He gives us these things he has: his speed, his control of the ball. He just did it by himself.”
Those things Nuno refers to will soon benefit Newcastle United and not Nottingham Forest, the self-declared “fastest player in the Premier League” set to cause chaos in black and white rather than red next season.
Pace, power, final product, it’s not complicated to work out why Eddie Howe has prioritised the signing of Elanga and pushed for another pursuit this summer after the failed effort 12 months ago.
Elanga will fit perfectly into Newcastle’s side and style, and will be just as much of a hit in the dressing room as the pitch.
“Always smiling, his bubbly enthusiasm is infectious,” says Colin Fray, Forest reporter for BBC Radio Nottingham.
“It was fun talking to him, and it was fun watching him… and if you want to know how much fun, just have a look at his winning goal against Manchester United last season – a solo run from his own half, holding defenders off and then finding a finish.
“Classic Anthony Elanga.”
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Elanga is better now than he was a year ago and is joining Newcastle on the back of the best season of his young career so far. But he always wants improvement, he always wants more.
“The most important thing for me is to be consistent,” he said in an interview with the Athletic at the end of last year.
“Look at Mo Salah. People said he was a one-season wonder… but he is still here now proving people wrong.
“I am 22, I still have a lot of time and a lot of ways to improve.”
To do that, he “invests in himself”.
“I like to meditate,” he said in the same Athletic interview.
“That relaxes me. I read the Bible. I am also reading a book called Relentless, about Kobe Bryant. I like to read about the mentality of other athletes in the past and how they reacted to certain situations and challenges. How did they get success?
“It teaches you to stay grounded and humble. To work hard. LeBron James is another of the biggest examples of what you can achieve if you invest in yourself; if you look after yourself.
“That is so important to me. If I invest in myself the only person who will stop me becoming what I become is myself.”
His commitment always impressed staff at Manchester United.
“Off the pitch, Anthony is extremely dedicated and always puts in the maximum effort, whether that is in his education, training or recovery work, and that is exactly what we want to see from our players,” said Neil Ryan, his Under-18s coach at Old Trafford.
He won the coveted Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award at Manchester United, an accolade that had previously been picked up by players such as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Marcus Rashford.
And he had a fan in Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer.
“He’s got an X factor,” said the former Manchester United boss.
“Some attributes, it’s not like a gift, but he’s got the acceleration, pace, speed, that’s a given for wingers and he’s got qualities I like.”
Elanga has no regrets about leaving Manchester United. He knew at the time he needed to play regularly, he needed “purpose”.
The Forest move worked a treat for the winger but the Newcastle switch is a big step forward. It’s a step into the Champions League, and into Howe’s impressive and improving squad and side.
And he’ll improve the side. It’s the first time in two years Newcastle have made a signing who will make an instant impact.