'Petulance': Newcastle United star ruled out of West Ham and Brentford clashes with 'stupid' red card
Paul Robinson slammed the Newcastle United forward for ‘petulance’ after being sent off.
Newcastle United will be without key winger Anthony Gordon for upcoming Premier League fixtures against West Ham and Brentford after the player was sent off against Brighton on Sunday.
The 24-year-old was shown a red card after shoving Seagulls man Jan Paul Van Hecke at St James’ Park. Gordon will now serve a three-match ban for the incident.
Not only will the former Everton man be ineligible to play West Ham at the London Stadium next Monday and against Brentford on Tyneside at the start of April, but he will miss the Magpies’ Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday, March 16.
Newcastle United star picks up red card against Brighton
The confrontation with Van Hecke came after the England international lost out on a challenge with the defender. Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey was also sent off in that game when picking up a second yellow card for a challenge on Jacob Murphy.
Speaking to the BBC during the match, former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson criticised Gordon for his ‘petulance’. Robinson said: “Anthony Gordon has gone over the top of Jan Paul van Hecke. Gordon knows he cannot get there and he has run into Van Hecke with two hands. It looked like frustration to me. He has pushed the Brighton defender with force.
“Petulance. That's all it was. Gordon felt hard done by that he didn't get the early penalty. That motion is what the referee has seen. It is stupid from Anthony Gordon.”
It’s a blow for Newcastle United with Gordon a key man in Eddie Howe’s side. The forward has 33 appearances in all competitions this season with nine goals and six assists.
The Magpies have already been beaten by both West Ham and Brentford this season with the London sides looking to the double over Newcastle United over the coming weeks.
Gordon’s red card comes in a season which has seen him praised for his attitude on the pitch by Howe. The forward had a turbulent summer with a lack of game time at Euro 2024 with England, transfer links with Liverpool and then having to play out of his preferred position early on in the league campaign.
Anthony Gordon previously praised for attitude by Eddie Howe
Howe said in December: “It’s about the team. It’s not necessarily about what Anthony wants or what I want. It’s about what the team needs.
“That has always been my thought. Players have to play where the team needs them to play. Yes, Anthony has been moved to a degree, but he has played a lot of games in his favoured position.
“I’ve got no problem saying that [left wing] is his favoured position. It’s up to him to perform in that position when he plays there. He’s played on the right and played well - he created the goal against Arsenal from there - and possibly in that moment people were saying that was his position, on the right. But it’s never clear-cut.
“Good players can play in loads of different positions. That has been proved to me many times. But it’s about your attitude when you play in that position, it has to be of the best level. I have to say, from Anthony’s perspective, playing up front again on Saturday [against Crystal Palace], I thought he did really well. His attitude to that was excellent.”
In other news, West Ham could be plotting to hijack an Arsenal £20 million transfer for a Champions League star.