da poker： The 22-year-old has been 'one of the best players in the Premier League this season' and could well end up playing at Euro 2024
da bet7： Saturday night's Premier League clash between Newcastle and Manchester United presented pundits with a chance to compare Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford. The contrast was stark.
Gordon didn't just score the game's only goal – or combine wonderfully well with Tino Livramento down Newcastle's left-hand side. He also worked tirelessly for his team – unlike Rashford, whom former England No.9 Alan Shearer said "didn't look interested", the suspicion being that the United forward was unhappy with being moved from the left to the right flank to accommodate Alejandro Garnacho.
So, as head-to-heads go, Gordon vs Rashford was as one-sided as the game itself, which only prompted further calls for the Liverpudlian to replace the Mancunian in the England squad.
As ex-Scotland striker Ally McCoist said on , "If you’re talking about current form, Gordon has been playing far better." Which is noteworthy in itself, when one considers how much Gordon was struggling last season while Rashford was running riot for United.
Touchline tantrum
When Newcastle signed Gordon from Everton in January, the size of the transfer fee (an initial £40 million ($50m) with the possibility of a further £5m in bonuses) was questioned by many. The attacker's potential had been obvious since making his professional debut in a Europa League match at just 16, but six years on, there were legitimate questions over his end product and his temperament.
His first few months did little to reassure the sceptics. On April 8, Gordon was brought on at half-time in a game against Brentford, only to then be replaced in the dying seconds. He was furious. As Howe tried to explain the decision to him on the touchline, Gordon petulantly pushed his manager's arm away from him before making a beeline for the bench.
AdvertisementGetty Images'A young player learning the game'
"You don't want to see any player react like that because, suddenly, you will have a team that looks like it doesn't have the discipline that it needs," Howe admitted afterwards. "I made a decision based on Anthony going down holding his ankle, based on the fact there were seconds left on the clock, to try and do what I felt I needed to do to win the game. He needed to accept that and, if he had an issue, come and see me in private.
"That's how I felt he should have acted in that situation, but it's a young player learning about the game and learning about us at the same time, so I've got no issue with him."
Not least because Gordon promptly apologised for his actions. And he learned from them, too. When he was hauled off 54 minutes into his full home debut against Southampton later that month, he was internally upset, but "he didn't let that show", as Howe acknowledged. "There was no outward sign of a negative reaction to that, which you need in that situation."
Getty ImagesGetting up to speed
Still, those were tough times for Gordon. Three months on from his arrival at St James' Park, he felt as if he was still playing catch-up. Initially, he didn't feel fit enough for Howe's high-energy brand of football, and then his progress was checked by a minor ankle injury picked up in March. There were tactical issues, too, though.
"I knew I wasn't playing to the style of the team, which I didn't fully understand, the way they were playing," Gordon admitted during the summer. "It was difficult, I won't lie. The manager's tactical detail is so impressive. And there is so much of it compared to what I was used to before.
"But he did warn me it would take a while [to understand], and the other players warned me too."
Getty Images'One of the best players in the Premier League this season'
The summer represented a turning point. First, Gordon benefited from regular game time with the England Under-21s, whom he helped win the European Championship with two goals and a succession of inspirational displays that earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
Consequently, he headed off for his summer holidays in high spirits. When he returned – early – he hit the ground running in pre-season training and began the campaign fitter and completely in tune with Howe and his team-mates.
Gordon has started 12 of Newcastle's 14 Premier League matches to date, and that regular run of games has resulted in a constant supply of goals and assists. He has struck six times in total, netting in each of Newcastle's last four home games in the process, while he has also contributed three assists.
No Newcastle player has been directly involved in more goals, which explains why pundit Jamie Carragher has labelled Gordon "one of the best players in the Premier League this season". The former Liverpool defender added, "Carry on like this and he's going to the Euros!"