What Newcastle United players were spotted doing before Anthony Gordon’s red card vs Brighton

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The red mist descended upon Anthony Gordon in Newcastle United’s loss to Brighton on Sunday.

One moment of madness could define the season of Eddie Howe’s side. The Magpies will now have the enormous task of winning the Carabao Cup without one of their best players.

Anthony Gordon has been a shell of himself recently, struggling to stamp his usual authority in Newcastle United’s starting XIs. Although he endured a lively start to the cup tie, Gordon struggled to work past Brighton’s low block. Then, seven minutes before stoppage time Gordon was shown a straight red card for an inexcusable action on Jan Paul van Hecke.

Gordon’s red card means that he will miss the Magpies’ next two Premier League games against West Ham and Brentford but, most consequentially, will not feature in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on March 16. It’s a personal blow for the 24-year-old who was cup-tied for Newcastle’s last Wembley trip in 2023. Gordon is a much better player now and would have been a big difference-maker in the game.

With Howe now coming to terms with the fact that his chances of winning silverware have now been reduced, Newcastle players were spotted doing something that could have also gotten them into trouble.

Newcastle players defence before Anthony Gordon’s red card

Newcastle’s defeat to Brighton stings more because of the consequences it has on the rest of the season, rather than just the result itself. Howe is tasked with getting Newcastle back to Europe having missed out on it at the end of last season.

His side currently sit sixth in the Premier League, which would be enough for Europa League football but club officials will be eager to see the club return to the Champions League.

Once those on the pitch realised what Gordon had done, Brighton players began scrambling to referee Anthony Taylor to convince him to send the winger off. In the midst of all that, the Chronicle spotted that Joao Pedro gave Gordon a shove before Toon stars Dan Burn and Matt Targett arrived on the scene to protect their teammate.

Either way, the red card was waved towards Gordon’s direction, to which he was left shocked. When leaving the pitch, Howe didn’t acknowledge Gordon but admitted that he was too engrossed in the game to notice him coming past him.

The sending-off added insult to injury on the day, with Yankuba Minteh scoring against Newcastle on the return to his former club. The Gambian gave a muted celebration as a sign of respect to his “former” club, even though he did not play a single game for them after signing in 2023.

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Alexander Isak’s reaction to Anthony Gordon’s red card

Newcastle’s star striker Alexander Isak found the net on his return to the matchday squad, having missed the defeat to Liverpool with a groin issue. The Swede was unfortunate not to score a second shortly after when he strayed just offside before hammering past Bart Verbruggen.

When Gordon was sent off, Isak could be seen putting his hands on his head – almost in pure shock at the decision and perhaps the realisation that his teammate would not be playing in the Carabao Cup final.

Perhaps the game would have been a different story had Isak timed his run a little bit better in the first half or if Fabian Schar kept himself onside for the free-kick in the dying moments of the second period.

Isak will now have to rely on one of Joelinton or Harvey Barnes on the left side of attack for the final. Both players can provide for the 25-year-old but it will not be the same as what Gordon could do.