Newcastle United face an anxious wait to see if Anthony Gordon will be available for the club for the next three games, following his red card against Brighton on Sunday afternoon.
The England man was shown a straight red card by referee Anthony Taylor with seven minutes of normal time remaining. The sending-off carries an automatic three-game suspension.
As it stands, it means that Gordon will be forced to sit out next Monday’s Premier League trip to West Ham United and the home league game against Brentford. Perhaps more significantly for Newcastle, sandwiched in between is also the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, which he will also miss.
It may feel like déjà vu for Newcastle, with a similar situation happening surrounding goalkeeper Nick Pope the last time the team made it to the final of the competition. The player was forced to sit out the final due to suspension after being shown a red card in an earlier game.
There is still some hope that Gordon could play in the clash against Liverpool. With that in mind, here is the latest on the winger’s red card and suspension.
How Gordon could still play in Carabao Cup final
The only way that Newcastle could ensure that Gordon is not suspended for the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool is by sending an appeal on the red card to the FA in the hope of getting it rescinded.
According to the FA’s guidelines: “All red cards can be appealed with the exception of those for use of offensive or insulting or abusive language/gestures and receiving a second caution in a game.
“Please be aware that for an appeal to be successful, you must be able to prove that the referee made an obvious error in sending the player off.”
VAR was in use for the game but didn’t overrule the red card. Clubs have, however, previously been successful with appeals even if VAR chose not to intervene.
A successful appeal could see the red card fully rescinded with Gordon facing no suspension, or the automatic three-match suspension being reduced to one game. That would mean that he would be available for the Carabao Cup final.
What Eddie Howe has said
Speaking in his post-match interview with ITV, Howe did not rule out an appeal against the red card. “It looked harsh, but we’ll have to analyse it properly,” he said.
“I’ve not seen a replay of it; just going on my original view, it looked harsh. We’ll see and then see what we do next. I don’t think Anthony has gone with any intention to do any harm there. I have to see it properly before giving a big opinion on it.”
He delivered a similar response in his post-match press conference. “I don’t know what his intention was. I am sure it was not to harm or get the red card, in that moment I don’t know quite what has happened.
“But I need to review it properly before forming my opinion. If that (a ban) is the case I am so disappointed for him and the team. Knowing the player I know there is no malice intended there. But I think at the moment I can only concentrate on today’s game and pick the players up after that.”
New verdict delivered
Former Professional Game Match Officials Limited boss Keith Hackett believes it was the right decision to show Gordon a straight red card, with the referee having ‘no other option’.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “When you place your hand, or hands, into the face of the opponent with a degree of force, it really leaves the referee – in this case Anthony Taylor – little option other than to show a red card and dismiss the player from the field.
“There’s no clear and obvious error, there’s no VAR intervention on that one, Taylor had no option other than to dismiss him.”
Potential replacements
Should Newcastle decide against appealing, or fail with an appeal against the red, then Howe will have some decisions over who replaces Gordon in the starting XI for the two Premier League matches and the final.
Harvey Barnes is an obvious option, with the winger making a comeback from injury over the last couple of weeks, or Joe Willock potentially moving out to the left. Or could a change of formation be on the cards? Our ChronicleLive writers have had their say.
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/anthony-gordon-suspension-latest-newcastle-31124967
