Anthony Gordon equals Lionel Messi record in incredible start to Barcelona career | OneFootball

Anthony Gordon is having a lovely time out in Barcelona since he left the Premier League.

The former Newcastle and Everton winger may have slipped from your focus, but we are here to tell you that he is absolutely loving his time in Spain.

Since moving to the Camp Nou, Gordon has registered five assists in four matches which is the same amount he hit in 46 games for Newcastle last season.

That quick start has also put him in the record books and made him one of just four players in the last 50 years of La Liga to have recorded five assists in the four matches of a La Liga season.

Joining him are Real Madrid’s Juanito and Michel and a certain Lionel Messi who did it in the 2011-12 season.

Now while we are not saying Gordon is going to go on and meet the 91 goals Messi scored that year, it is clearly an indication of how well he has settled into life in Spain.

The locals have certainly taken to him too.

Mundo Deportivo declared him as “a new idol at Camp Nou” and someone even stuck up a banner declaring “Anthony Gordon is Catalan” outside the Camp Nou. He’s also earned the nickname Antoino Gordo.

During a 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, the fans chanted his name and have taken to calling him Big Anthony (Gordo means big in Spanish).

His latest assists came in Barcelona’s 5-0 thumping of Valencia to put them top of La Liga.

The first was a delicate chipped through ball into the path of Lamine Yamal who lifted it over the goalkeeper into the net.

His second saw him pick up a loose ball in the box before rolling it to Fermin who finished into the bottom left corner.

Gordon also endeared himself to fans and his team-mates by suggesting La Liga was better than the Premier League.

“I’m not going to deny that the Premier League is incredibly intense,” Gordon said. “The rhythm is relentless, there are physical battles everywhere, long ball kicks, corner kicks and a lot of contact. That’s why many English players believe it is the best league in the world.”

“In England, sometimes intensity can cover up mistakes. Here, a bad first touch or a lack of concentration on your positioning can punish you immediately.

“The spaces are smaller, the decisions have to be faster and everything must be cleaner.”