Less than two months ago, Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson were still opponents in the tense World Cup 2026 semi-final match between England and Argentina. They continuously clashed and fought fiercely, while Fernandez once had actions to mock Anderson and his teammates after Argentina's victory.
Now, everything has completely changed. Fernandez returned to England as a £125 million contract from Manchester City and sided with Anderson in Man City's midfield. In their debut match against Coventry City, the two created a promising combination.
Fernandez received a warm welcome when debuting for Man City. He was chosen to replace Nico O'Reilly, who was injured during warm-up, and immediately took on an important role in midfield.
The Argentine player played in a higher position than Anderson at some points and soon created an opportunity for Rayan Cherki. Cherki's shot was blocked by goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, but Fernandez continued to leave his mark in the Man City opening situation.
A sharp pass from Fernandez through the Coventry defense allowed Antoine Semenyo to escape. After that, Semenyo made an accurate cross for Erling Haaland to finish, giving Man City the lead.
That was the moment that showed the reason The Citizens agreed to spend £125 million to bring Fernandez to Etihad. Not only possessing passing ability and creativity, the Argentine midfielder also brought determination in his playing style.
Fernandez wearing jersey number 17, the number that once belonged to Kevin De Bruyne, also created a lot of attention. However, the pressure does not seem to affect the Argentine player. He played full of energy even though this was his first start since the World Cup final in mid-July.
Fernandez had two shots blocked by Coventry's defense before halftime and continued to create some dangerous situations in the second half. At one point, he dribbled the ball over his head and passed it to Haaland. The Norwegian striker put the ball into the net but the goal was disallowed because Fernandez was offside.
Meanwhile, Anderson also had an impressive performance. The English midfielder made more than 70 passes before halftime and actively operated in the midfield area. Notably, when Man City players ran to congratulate Haaland after the goal, Anderson turned to Fernandez.
That moment showed that the relationship between the two players had completely changed in less than two months. From fierce competitors on the World Cup stage, they have now become teammates and together created a midfield worth up to 241 million pounds.
Anderson brings diligence, ball control and fitness, while Fernandez takes on most of the creative tasks. This combination could become one of the important points in Maresca's plan in his first season leading Man City.
Fernandez was substituted when there were about 15 minutes left in the match because he played too hard. Man City fans applauded him, showing that this expensive contract quickly created sympathy at Etihad.
However, Fernandez is still a controversial player due to events related to him in the past. But on the field, his debut against Coventry proves that Man City has reason to expect the Argentine midfielder.
