Gordon’s £45 million transfer marked the end of a prolonged saga, during which he submitted a transfer request to leave his childhood club, Everton. Although his departure resulted in a terse response from Everton, the funds were crucial in mitigating the club’s Profit and Sustainability breach, which had caused a second points deduction. After transferring, Gordon faced difficulties, notably during Everton’s decisive victory over Newcastle in December. However, with teammates Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson injured, Gordon is now poised to be a vital player in Newcastle’s attack on Saturday evening, after successfully scoring a penalty in their recent draw against Manchester City.
Newcastle’s manager, Eddie Howe, shared his thoughts on Gordon’s potential performance as he prepares to return to Goodison Park, stating: “I hope so and having been back there twice each time he goes back it will get slightly easier for Anthony. But still he will be emotional. He is human and he will have lots of things running through him as he plays the game.”
Howe also emphasized the need for Gordon to stay focused and contribute effectively to the team’s strategy: “As long as he focuses on himself. I thought he was excellent last week, I thought he was really good on and off the ball. You need a focal point in attack and the delivery of certain aspects to help the team so all I ask is he does that again.”
