There is a danger in football that players can be judged far too quickly.
A big transfer fee, a new club, a different system and the expectation of supporters can create an immediate demand for results. For Anthony Elanga, his first season at Newcastle United was certainly not the smooth introduction many had hoped for.
But after just two Premier League games of the new campaign, the Swedish international is already beginning to show exactly why Newcastle invested heavily in him.
Elanga was one of Newcastle’s standout performers as the Magpies secured an impressive 2-0 victory away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday evening, scoring the opening goal in the 62nd minute.
And perhaps most importantly, this was not an isolated moment.
The 24-year-old had already found the net in Newcastle’s opening Premier League fixture against Liverpool, meaning he has now scored in both league matches this season. That is a remarkable response from a player who endured plenty of frustration during his first campaign on Tyneside.
Elanga’s goal against Spurs also demonstrated the qualities Newcastle supporters knew were there. Nico González’s superb diagonal pass found Amar Dedić, whose header created the opportunity for Elanga. The winger took a touch, twisted away from the pressure and calmly drove his left-footed effort beyond the goalkeeper and inside the far post.
It was a finish of real quality.
There was pace, composure, movement and, perhaps most importantly, confidence.
That confidence appears to be returning at precisely the right time.
A Difficult First Season
It is easy to forget just how much expectation surrounded Elanga when he arrived at Newcastle from Nottingham Forest in 2025.
He had produced an excellent campaign at Forest, registering six Premier League goals and 11 assists, and Newcastle believed they were signing a player capable of adding pace, directness and attacking threat to their side.
However, his first season did not unfold as planned.
Elanga himself admitted during the summer that the campaign had not gone the way he wanted. Yet rather than hide from those difficulties, he used them as motivation.
He spoke about learning from the experience, staying present and refusing to dwell too long on either good or bad performances. That mentality could prove to be one of his biggest strengths.
And now we are starting to see the benefit.
Jaissle Could Be The Difference
There is also a strong argument that Matthias Jaissle deserves credit for unlocking Elanga.
The Newcastle head coach has introduced a more aggressive approach, encouraging his attackers to play with freedom and confidence. Against Tottenham, Newcastle became increasingly assertive after half-time, with Elanga benefiting from the improved attacking structure.
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher summed up the transformation perfectly, describing Elanga and Yoane Wissa as being “like two new players” under Jaissle.
That is a significant statement.
Wissa also scored against Spurs, meaning Newcastle’s two attacking players who struggled for consistency last season have already made a major contribution to the new campaign.
For Elanga, though, there is something particularly encouraging about the way he is playing.
He looks sharper.
He looks stronger.
He looks more decisive.
And perhaps above everything else, he looks like a player who believes in himself again.
Newcastle supporters should not get carried away after two matches, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with being excited by what they are seeing.
Elanga has never lacked ability. His pace was always obvious. His ability to attack space was always there. What Newcastle needed was consistency and confidence.
Right now, both appear to be developing.
His slow start on Tyneside should not define his Newcastle career. In fact, it could eventually become an important part of it.
The biggest compliment that can be paid to Elanga is that he has not allowed a difficult first year to dictate what comes next.
Instead, he has responded in the best possible way: by letting his football do the talking.
And if the early evidence is anything to go by, Anthony Elanga may finally be ready to show Newcastle fans the player they believed they were signing in the first place.
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