Anthony Gordon is facing the likelihood that he will miss the Carabao Cup final on 16th March after picking up a straight red card in Sunday's FA Cup game against Brighton.
In the 83rd minute, Anthony Gordon was charging into the box, being held back by Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, and while the whistle had already blown for an offside against Alexander Isak and the ball was essentially dead, Gordon lost his cool and shoved van Hecke in the face giving Anthony Taylor little choice but to pull out the red card.
I've seen plenty of fans online try to claim that it was a yellow card at most, but that just feels like they've been on the extra-strength copium because there's no way that it's not a red card.
Newcastle's one hope of appeal is that they can get the severity of the ban reduced from three games to just one.
It's a long shot, but if they can put together a good case there's a slim chance. Although former referee Dermot Gallagher doesn't seem convinced after he was asked about his view of the decision on Sky Sports News' Ref Watch segment.
"I think it was a very, very unwise thing for Anthony Gordon to do. The whistle had gone, play should have been stopped and for whatever reason he chose to take a very, very unwise action. Once you put your hands on a player's face like he did, and he put both as well, don't forget he put both in a real aggressive pushing motion, I think it was inevitable he was going to get a red card. Why it's a big talking point is because of the Carabao Cup coming up. He's now going to miss that game unless he wins his appeal, which I would suggest he has no chance whatsoever in my opinion.
"Appealing against a red card decision like that, you'll have to prove the referee has made a clear and obvious mistake. I don't think when you look at the images anybody can say he's made a clear and obvious mistake. Anthony Gordon, for whatever reason, has put his hands into his face, he's pushed him in an aggressive manner, it is violent conduct. Whether they will appeal that a three-match ban is too much, that's a different matter. They can do that, but I can't seriously see them winning an appeal and getting a three-match ban overturned whatsoever."
Dermott Gallagher seems pretty convinced then, that Anthony Gordon will miss the Carabao Cup final, and we've got to be honest, we don't disagree with anything he's said.
Like we keep saying, the moment you raise your hands to another player's face, that's always going to get you a red card, and it will be very, very difficult for Newcastle to convince the panel that there was no malicious intent, or that it was accidental, or however the opt to spin it to try and get the ban reduced.
Eddie Howe will just have to start planning for a final without Anthony Gordon, who missed the last Carabao Cup final with Newcastle due to being cup tied.
PL | GD | PTS | ||
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1 |
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29 | 42 | 70 |
2 |
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29 | 29 | 58 |
3 |
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29 | 14 | 54 |
4 |
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29 | 16 | 49 |
5 |
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29 | 15 | 48 |
6 |
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28 | 9 | 47 |
7 |
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29 | 6 | 47 |
8 |
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29 | 5 | 45 |
9 |
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29 | -4 | 45 |
10 |
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29 | 12 | 44 |
11 |
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29 | 5 | 41 |
12 |
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28 | 3 | 39 |
13 |
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29 | -3 | 37 |
14 |
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29 | 12 | 34 |
15 |
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29 | -4 | 34 |
16 |
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29 | -16 | 34 |
17 |
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29 | -18 | 26 |
18 |
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29 | -34 | 17 |
19 |
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29 | -40 | 17 |
20 |
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29 | -49 | 9 |