Eddie Howe ready to call up 'massive' player for Newcastle United in final four Premier League matches
Eddie Howe has delivered a message to Anthony Gordon heading into Newcastle United’s final four games of the Premier League season.
Gordon hasn’t started a game for Newcastle since being sent off against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup two months ago.
Brighton won the match 2-1 at St James’ Park after extra time, with Gordon shown a straight red for pushing Jan Paul van Hecke in the head. Gordon missed the next three games, including the Carabao Cup final, due to suspension before picking up an injury on international duty with England.
Following Newcastle’s 3-0 win over Ipswich Town, head coach Eddie Howe claimed Gordon wasn’t ‘100% fit’. The 24-year-old is pushing for a return to the starting line-up before the end of the season.
On Sunday (2pm kick-off), Newcastle face Brighton for the third time this season, looking to pick up their first Premier League win at the Amex Stadium. Newcastle dropped to fourth in the table following Manchester City’s win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night but could climb back up to third heading into the final three games of the campaign with a win.
And looking ahead to Sunday’s match, Howe was asked to provide an update on Gordon’s fitness.
Eddie Howe provides Anthony Gordon fitness update ahead of NUFC match v Brighton
Howe said: “Yeah, I don't think [he knee] is too bad. Of course, that was last week, he's had a full week training this week and he's looked better physically, I'd say.
“So, the main thing for him is to try and now, if he's 100% fit, focus on his performance and make sure he's at the levels that he has been for the majority of the season. He's a massive player for us and we're going to need him.”
Gordon has scored nine goals and assisted seven in 38 appearances for Newcastle so far this season, a tally he’ll be hoping to add to in the final four games.
Newcastle United look to secure Champions League football after Carabao Cup win
Newcastle sit two points inside the Champions League places heading into Sunday’s match at Brighton but would drop out of the top five should they lose and both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest beat Liverpool and Crystal Palace, respectively.
The Magpies are already guaranteed European football after winning the Carabao Cup back in March. The cup win grants Conference League qualification, but Newcastle’s ambition is to qualify for the Champions League with four games left to play.
After Sunday, Newcastle host top-five rivals Chelsea at St James’ Park before travelling to Arsenal. Howe’s side end the season at home to Everton on May 25 (4pm kick-off).
Newcastle qualified for the Champions League after finishing fourth during the 2022-23 season before missing out on Europe entirely with a seventh-place finish last season.
Seventh place would be enough to secure European qualification this season. It will likely be a Europa League spot should Manchester City win the FA Cup or a Conference League spot if Palace win the competition.