Eddie Howe reveals ‘huge disappointment’ for Newcastle United star - and it’s not Nick Pope

Elliot Anderson reached the major milestone of making his first Premier League start for Newcastle United - but it didn’t exactly go as hoped.

It had been a long time coming for the talented 20-year-old but sadly, the experience was over in less than 24 minutes after Nick Pope’s red card versus Liverpool forced Eddie Howe into a tactical reshuffle.

Anderson was the man sacrificed for substitute goalkeeper Martin Dubravka as Miguel Almiron dropped into the three-man midfield, while Allan Saint-Maximin and Alexander Isak formed the attack.

“Yeah, huge disappointment for me and for him having to take him off,” said Howe on Anderson. “It was the last thing I wanted to do.

“I just felt we needed a transitional threat in the game, the counter-attack was going to be hugely important for us so we reshuffled and went with two forward players but those two forward players needed extreme pace I felt.

“Unfortunately Elliot was the one to come off but it was nothing against what he did during his time on the pitch.”

Anderson was on the pitch when Liverpool scored two goals in the opening 17 minutes from Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.

United, as credited by Klopp, put up a strong fight with 10 men, but couldn’t quite find a goal to get themselves back in the game.

Howe said: “I thought we were very good with 10 men. I thought we were very good with 11 men at the start of the game and created the first chance, a big chance. The crowd was electric, it was set for a really good evening.

“The two goals we are disappointed with, they came out of nothing really. No real pressure, just quality moments from them.

“The sending-off happens and you fear the worse, but if anything we grew into the game and we created chances all through that period.

“I just felt if we could get the third goal, it could have been a really interesting end to the game but that goal never came.”