Why Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon Is Being Unfairly Criticized

Anthony Gordon may be approaching a crossroads at Newcastle United. The winger has had a very mixed season, unable to find the spark which ignited his game last season, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed.

It was his mistake in giving the ball away to Bukayo Saka which led to Declan Rice’s winning goal for Arsenal on Sunday, in just his second start since early March. His rustiness was evident, as he was bullied off the ball often and punished for an uncharacteristically poor first touch at the Emirates Stadium. Fan discourse after defeats is rarely filled with nuance, but Gordon’s display was sharply in focus, against the backdrop of a tough few months.

There is little sympathy for the 24-year-old’s perceived plight. It began with a petulant red card in the FA Cup fifth round defeat to Brighton, which ruled him out of the eventually successful Carabao Cup final two weeks later.

That night, he had to face up to the fact that responsibility defeat to Liverpool at Wembley would have been in part placed at his door by some. Fortunately for everybody in Newcastle, it turned out in a much more favourable way; but Gordon then picked up an injury on England duty, by which time Harvey Barnes had found form on the left wing. Gordon hasn’t been able to fully repay the fans for that mistake; he hasn’t scored a Premier League goal since January, or one at all since February.

Context is key, though. Gordon came on in the draw with Brighton in the Premier League a few weeks ago and changed the course of the match with his energy and running, before Newcastle earned a precious point in its hunt for Champions League qualification next season. In the following win over Chelsea, he was back to his best, driving forward and leading the press against an out of position Moises Caicedo. Once the Ecuadorian moved into midfield and Reece James, an orthodox right-back, replaced him after Nicolas Jackson’s red card, Gordon’s impact waned. But it is not fair to suggest he has floundered completely since returning.

The narrative around Gordon hasn’t been helped by re-emerging links to Premier League rivals. Chelsea and Arsenal are long-term admirers, and Liverpool is seen as an obvious destination due to his family ties. Though he began his career at Merseyside rivals Everton, he grew up a Reds fan.

Last summer, when Newcastle was in grip of a fight to avoid a breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules, Gordon was offered to Liverpool as part of a discussion which would have seen The Magpies secure the desired funds and strengthen in defence with the signing of either Joe Gomez or Jarell Quansah. Gordon reportedly had his head turned by the prospect of an Anfield move, which has again impacted debate around his current form and motivation in the Newcastle fanbase. This inconsistency only began after that deal failed to materialize, after all.

Gordon has had a ‘stop-start’ year

But it is far more complex than that. While it is natural for the prospect of joining the club he supports to impact his focus, Newcastle brought that to the table, making it clear that it was open to selling him over other star players in a crisis.

Not only was there was no sign of the required signings to strengthen the team, he was being used as a pawn in a potential deal, while away on England duty at Euro 2024, where he played no more than a few minutes. With so much noise surrounding him and very little he could control, it was bound to cause him some problems.

Gordon is a confidence player; the evidence for which is clear. When he joined Newcastle for £40m ($54m) in January 2023, he initially struggled with the intense demands of Eddie Howe’s tactics, before scoring his first goal on the final day of the season at Chelsea, with Champions League qualification assured.

A huge weight was lifted and he went to star for England’s under-21s in its successful Euros campaign that summer, winning Player of the Tournament, before forgoing a rest and heading straight into the new campaign with Newcastle, scoring 11 goals and registered 10 assists. Momentum, and confidence, flowed with no time to stop.

Compare that to his last 12 months; the need for a break increasing, a difficult time with England and not knowing if he was staying at Newcastle or not. He has still scored eight goals and registered six assists in all competitions, contributing huge moments like two goals in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal, and signed a new contract at St James’ Park, suggesting he is not desperate for a transfer anytime soon.

Once again, Gordon is enduring a spell with no momentum and his confidence is hurt. He must take responsibility and deserves some of the criticism for his performances, but too much has been assumed about why he is struggling. Perhaps some perspective is needed.