Anthony Gordon suspension was bigger picture huge positive – Hear me out | OneFootball

I was going to write this about Anthony Gordon back in early March.

However, I didn’t want to jinx it.

Can you believe it is still only 18 days since that Brighton match in the FA Cup, when Anthony Gordon was red carded?

It wasn’t that I thought it was a good thing at the time that the winger was sent off and would miss the next three matches, but at the same time, I quickly moved on to thinking that this could end up being a bigger picture huge positive…

The last 17 Newcastle United matches when Anthony Gordon has played, with his direct goal involvements:

Newcastle 4 Leicester 0 – Anthony Gordon assist

Newcastle 3 Brentford 1 – Anthony Gordon assist

Ipswich 0 Newcastle 4 – Anthony Gordon assist

Newcastle 3 Villa 0 – Anthony Gordon goal

Man U 0 Newcastle 2 – Anthony Gordon assist

Spurs 1 Newcastle 2 – Anthony Gordon goal

Arsenal 0 Newcastle 2 – Anthony Gordon goal

Newcastle 3 Bromley 1 – Anthony Gordon goal

Newcastle 3 Wolves 0 – Anthony Gordon goal

Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 4

Southampton 1 Newcastle 3 – Anthony Gordon assist

Newcastle 1 Fulham 2

Newcastle 2 Arsenal 0 – Anthony Gordon goal

Man City 4 Newcastle 0

Newcastle 4 Forest 3

Liverpool 2 Newcastle 0

Newcastle 1 Brighton 2 (AET)

You look at these stats above and a couple of things really stand out.

That amazing run of nine Newcastle United wins in a row, saw Anthony Gordon score or goal or get an assist in all nine of them! That is incredible.

However, then the next eight Anthony Gordon appearances saw six matches where he drew a blank, only the assist against Southampton and his goal at SJP against Arsenal in the League Cup.

A lot of nonsense has been written about Anthony Gordon since that red card. Yes, he did a stupid thing in the heat of the moment, but he joins a never ending list of thousands of football players who have done something equally stupid.

I have seen some Newcastle United fans claiming they will never forgive the scouser for that red card. Get a life!

I am guessing they were saying the same thing about Sandro Tonali when we learnt of that ten months ban back in Autumn 2023. Wanting to get rid of your best players when they show human weakness, that is a genius plan!

There’s nothing wrong with expressing your frustration when these things happen but you have to also see the bigger picture. You have to be prepared to forgive, if not forget.

This is now two cup finals Anthony Gordon has been ruled out of in his less than 26 months with Newcastle United, having been cup-tied in February 2023. I felt for him in those post-match scenes on Sunday BUT along with all the other players who didn’t/couldn’t play a part, neither Gordon nor anybody else showed anything but total team spirit. Testament to Eddie Howe and this group of players he has assembled and inspired.

Back to the bigger picture with Anthony Gordon and the point I really want to make.

It has been a dream to beat both West Ham and Liverpool in Gordon’s absence. Everything crossed that we can make it an NUFC hat-trick of wins without Anthony Gordon, when facing Brentford in 13 days time.

However, looking beyond that, I really think that this suspension and break from playing, can end up paying massive longer-term benefits for Newcastle United and Anthony Gordon.

As well as a valuable lesson learnt no doubt for the player himself, I think he could end up the key figure when he returns, the man who can ensure United follow up a trophy with Champions League qualification.

Those nine wins in a row that helped send United to cup glory and to now such a strong positions for Champions League qualification, saw Anthony Gordon arguably the key figure with a goal or an assist in every one of those wins.

Now imagine if he can do the same in these final nine PL matches when he returns.

I don’t think he was playing badly at all in the recent run of matches he played but probably fair to say he wasn’t quite hitting the same heights, although still moments of magic at times such as making the goal for Murphy against Fulham with a brilliant run, the defender getting a slight touch before it reached the goalscorer, so not officially an assist.

There will have been 36 days between the Brighton red card and Anthony Gordon able to return for the away match at Leicester on Monday 7 April.

He will be champing at the bit and whilst no certainty he will instantly walk back into the team, either as starter or as a sub, I reckon Anthony Gordon will be smashing it from that Leicester game right up to the end of the season.

I think he will come back massively refreshed and inspired, with the bonus of some football for England in the coming days.

England play Albania on Friday and Latvia on Monday, then two weeks for Anthony Gordon to be preparing with his NUFC teammates for when he returns for that Leicester match and then the eight games that follow, which will decide the Champions League places.

Anthony Gordon has given us so much in these last couple of years.

Newcastle United player of the season in 2023/24, double figures in the Premier League for goals and assists.

Whilst this season Anthony Gordon has been in outstanding form again, especially in that nine game winning run that has set our season on fire and created the potential for 2024/25 to be so memorable.

Whist the crazy few might want Anthony Gordon out of Newcastle United, the rest of us I think will I think end up celebrating another brilliant season for Gordon and NUFC, a season where I believe he will be the key figure that helps us back into the Champions League in those final crucial nine matches of the season.