Newcastle United handed massive blow as key man banned for Carabao Cup final
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Anthony Gordon was shown a straight red card late on during Newcastle United’s FA Cup clash with Brighton.
Anthony Taylor brandished the red card to Gordon in the final ten minutes of normal time after a clash between the winger and Jan Paul van Hecke. That red for violent conduct means he will miss the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool next month if a three-match ban is upheld.
The score was tied at 1-1 at the time, with first half goals from Alexander Isak and Yankuba Minteh. Isak’s early penalty was converted superbly before Minteh equalised against his former employers largely against the run of play.
The decision to send Gordon off was roundly booed by those Newcastle United fans closest to the incident in the Gallowgate End, before replays showed the former Everton man push the defender in the back of the head. Those replays, much to the bewilderment of supporters in the initial moments after the incident, suggest that Taylor was correct in reaching for a red card.
It was a largely avoidable moment as well with the referee having already blown the whistle after an offside flag from Gary Bewsick in the build-up. The hosts would go on to survive around five minutes of action whilst down to ten men, before the numbers were evened up.
Tariq Lamptey, who had been booked in the first half for a foul on Gordon, was then shown a second yellow card of the afternoon. Lamptey fouled Jacob Murphy as United looked to attack before being given his marching orders.
The Magpies thought they had stolen the game late as Fabian Schar turned home Bruno Guimaraes’ resulting free-kick but VAR intervened to chalk the goal off. It was adjudged that Schar was offside as the Brazilian whipped the ball in, much to the disappointment of the majority inside St James’ Park.
It was a chaotic end to the match on Tyneside and one that ended with Taylor blowing for full-time and ushering in another half an hour of football.
Gordon, meanwhile, headed down the tunnel knowing that his presence in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley is in major doubt. He missed the 2023 final after being cup-tied following his move from Everton a month previous to that.