This just makes me love Anthony Gordon even more

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The Mag

·6 de octubre de 2024

This just makes me love Anthony Gordon even more

Circumstances meant that Anthony Gordon was even more in the spotlight.

Almost certainly the final visit of Newcastle United to Goodison Park, cup draws permitting.

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Anthony Gordon had played through the middle against Manchester City due to the absences of Isak and Wilson.

He ran his heart out and topped that off by winning and then converting the penalty that earned Newcastle United the point against the champions.

With neither Wilson nor Isak expected back until after the international break, it meant same again for Anthony Gordon, back in front of his adoring scouse mackem fans…

He didn’t let us down.

His workrate was phenomenal.

Against Man City, Anthony Gordon had a final total of 33 sprints in that St James’ Park match.

At Goodison Park it must have been close to that.

He did everything he could to win this game for the fans who really appreciate him.

Which brings me to THAT penalty.

I have heard and read some Newcastle United fans declaring Anthony Gordon ‘bottled’ it.

That couldn’t be wider of the mark.

He stepped up, took on all of that responsibility and pressure on himself.

The only way you could claim he ‘bottled’ it, would have been if he had refused to take the penalty, if he had put all that responsibility and pressure on somebody else. Taking the easy way out.

However, he didn’t do that, he stepped up and made it his own.

The fact that it was a poor penalty and difficult for Pickford not to save, is irrelevant.

Yes it is gutting that Anthony Gordon didn’t put it away but it wasn’t due to a lack of effort or desire.

We are all human and of course that penalty was going to be the toughest of all to take, due to in being front of his old ‘fans’ and at his old decrepit ground.

Ironically, it was clearly far easier for Anthony Gordon to take that penalty a week earlier in front of 50,000 Geordies against the champions to avoid defeat and earn a deserved point.

I never ever blame anybody who takes a penalty and misses the target or sees it saved.

They have had the bottle to take it and take that responsibility.

If Isak or Wilson had been on the pitch then that responsibility would have been taken away from Anthony Gordon, as they are above him in the pecking order for taking penalties.

Instead it was him who was in line.

Imagine if instead of taking that penalty against Everton and another Newcastle player had taken it and failed. The media would have, quite rightly in many respects, have been able to say that Anthony Gordon ‘bottled’ it. Even if the other player had scored, some would have still held it against him for who knows how long.

At Newcastle United I want players who are prepared to step up and try and do whatever it takes, I don’t want ‘bottlers’ at NUFC.

When I look back on those infamous England penalty fails of 1990 and 1996, I never think for one second to blame Pearce, Waddle and Southgate. It is those who refused to take penalties, who didn’t have the ‘bottle’ to do it.

Indeed, I look back on those England penalty shootouts with pride, as Geordies and past and future Newcastle United players were amongst those willing to step up, with Shearer, Beardsley and Gazza, as well as Waddle.

I have a very strong feeling that Anthony Gordon will have his day with the scouse mackems and indeed, I may already have a very special day in mind.

Anthony Gordon sending Everton down in the final Premier League match of the season on Sunday 25 May 2025, would be so sweet, especially if it coincided with something pretty nice for ourselves, such as Champions League qualification.

Everton 0 Newcastle 0 – Saturday 5 October 5.30pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Everton:

Possession was Newcastle 67% Everton 33%

Total shots were Newcastle 14 Everton 8

Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Everton 2

Corners were Newcastle 10 Everton 0

Touches in the box Newcastle 42 Everton 12

Newcastle United team v Everton:

Pope, Trippier (Livramento 71), Schar, Burn, Hall, Joelinton, Bruno, Tonali (Longstaff 71), Barnes (Almiron 62), Gordon, Jacob Murphy (Willock 69)

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