Newcastle United deliver Anthony Gordon red card appeal verdict ahead of West Ham & Liverpool cup final
Newcastle United have been dealt a major blow for the Carabao Cup final with Anthony Gordon set to be suspended.
Gordon was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after pushing Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke in the head. Referee Anthony Taylor showed Gordon a straight red card which will see him banned for the next three matches.
To add insult to injury, Newcastle went on to lose the match 2-1 after extra-time as Brighton advanced to the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
Reflecting on Gordon’s red card, Howe let out a groan before stating: “I've not seen it. I've only seen it live.
“It was very difficult to form an opinion from what I saw on the pitch. I don't know what Anthony’s intention was. I'm sure it wasn't to harm or to possibly get the red card.
“In that moment, I don't know quite what's happened, but I need to review it properly before forming my opinion. Yeah, I mean, I wasn't aware of that [Gordon would miss the cup final] initially.
“I was so absorbed in the game that my focus was on trying to win the game.”
On Gordon being ruled out for the Carabao Cup final v Liverpool, Howe added: “Of course, if that is the case, I'm desperately disappointed for him and for the team. But I think at the moment I can only concentrate on today's game and trying to pick the players up after that.
“I can't sit here and give an honest opinion to [the red card] until I've done the work that you've done and looked at it. But knowing the player, I know there's no malice intended there.
“I haven't seen an issue with his discipline or his emotions necessarily in the game in that way. I don't see angry outbursts from him. He plays hard, I want him to play hard, I want him to be competitive, but I don't see an issue there.
“So at this moment, I think he’ll be very out of context with how he is generally. Maybe a bit of frustration in the game that things weren't going our way, but I'd say that's not a common sight for me when Anthony plays.
Will Newcastle United appeal Anthony Gordon’s red card?
When asked if Newcastle would appeal Gordon’s red card in an attempt to make him available for the final, Howe added: “Yeah, of course, I think if we analyse the incident and feel there's ground for that, we will do without hesitation.
“If Anthony is missing the game then of course that would be a big blow to us. But as always the cliché, when someone else suffers a misfortune in that way it's someone else's opportunity and I think that's what we have a squad for, that's what we have very good players for.
“So I think we have to look at it that way and I'm sure Anthony would want us to look at it that way.He would want us to, in his absence, carry on and be really strong and try and win the game.”
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