‘Problem’ Anthony Gordon has become the answer Newcastle (and England) are looking for | OneFootball

‘Problem’ Anthony Gordon has become the answer Newcastle (and England) are looking for | OneFootball

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Icon: The Independent

The Independent

·21 October 2025

‘Problem’ Anthony Gordon has become the answer Newcastle (and England) are looking for

Article image:‘Problem’ Anthony Gordon has become the answer Newcastle (and England) are looking for

The cast of leading goalscorers in the Champions League is stacked with the usual names even at this early stage. But Kylian Mbappe (five), Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland have all been joined on four goals by an unlikely marksman, England and Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon.

As Thomas Tuchel nails down his England starters for the World Cup there is positivity from the left-wing of St James’ Park.


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Gordon is bolstering his solid, goalscoring England form with productivity and headline grabbing among Europe’s elite. Club boss Eddie Howe will now rightly demand Gordon transfers his big game shows into routine league games.

The 24-year old was the leading light in subduing Jose Mourinho’s fading Benfica to the tune of a 3-0 triumph, darting around to find space, releasing pressure with his ball carrying and adding a killer touch in front of goal.

After international teammate – and left sided rival – Rashford netted twice for Barcelona in the early kick-off (a 6-1 win over Olympiacos) Gordon stepped up to deliver on Tyneside.

A 32nd-minute strike was his fourth in three European games. A good eight days for the Scouser after he rose up the pecking order for his country – netting the opener and clinching World Cup qualification – in a 5-0 win over Latvia last week.

Article image:‘Problem’ Anthony Gordon has become the answer Newcastle (and England) are looking for

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Benfica boss Jose Mourinho was quick to congratulate Anthony Gordon at full-time (PA)

Gordon’s season has mirrored Newcastle’s swings. Sent off in the second game of the campaign against Liverpool he issued a very humble and decent apology and roared back stronger, in Europe at least.

A goal against Barcelona followed, and a double in a 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise. Then a vital opener against Benfica here, from Jacob Murphy’s first-time cross. Malick Thiaw had nicked the ball with strong-arm defending, Bruno Guimares mopping up to send Murphy clear.

Gordon practices meditation and visualisation to aid his performances but can’t have imagined being in such famous company goals-wise.

This is a player who has only hit double figures in one season, 12 in 2022-23, although 26 goals in 90 club career starts (and 24 as a sub) is a very decent return from out wide.

Confidence flowed in the second half and Gordon tormented Ricardo Rios, running Benfica ragged at times. England’s lefty rivals like Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish need to make their own mark, or it’s a two-player race between Gordon and Rashford for that World Cup shirt.

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Harvey Barnes and Gordon did the damage at St James’ Park (Getty Images)

No wonder St James’ Park rose for a huge ovation when Gordon was given a rest five minutes from time.

“It means everything to be the first Newcastle player to score in three consecutive Champions League games,” said Gordon. “But we need more, my ambition doesn't stop there. We had to calm the nerves.”

Sub Harvey Barnes was one of the beneficiaries of the home side’s dominance, scoring twice. The first came from a remarkable NFL quarterback style, 65-yard throw out, from goalkeeper Nick Pope.

He caught a cross in the 70th minute, and hurled from his own box into Benfica’s half, setting Barnes off on a pacy sprint to smash past Anatoliy Trubin in goal. The winger added a second in the 83rd minute – he now has three in Europe this season – and Newcastle have laid good foundations for qualifying from the group stages.

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Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope produced an incredible throw to assist Barnes’s first goal (PA)

It’s been difficult to predict for certain what you’ll get from the Magpies this season, as they search for fluency and midfield balance. One day progress, another lacking in ideas and goals. This will add confidence with a powerful rhythm discovered.

There’s still excitement when a Champions League fixture arrives on Tyneside, no weariness or cynicism, because of their rarity.

This was only Newcastle’s 27th Champions League group stage game, and 10th win. And that helps Howe’s team sidestep domestic glitches. “We scored three great goals and it is a fantastic result. We have threatened a performance like that. Confidence returning to our attacking players,” said the boss

“Anthony, in fact both our wingers, did really well. Anthony was direct and athletically excellent, on and off the ball.”

Howe had talked about a team in transition and of “frustration” but that lifted. A “new way of doing things”, was Howe’s pre-match quest.

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Eddie Howe was impressed by Anthony Gordon’s display (PA)

The evolution gathered pace with Joelinton dropped for a big game. Jacob Ramsey started on the left of the midfield three and was disciplined. On the right, illness forced Sandro Tonali out, handing homegrown teenager Lewis Miley a chance, and he is growing with experience and athletic in the scrap.

This is a team in flux, but perhaps with more options than past seasons, who grabbed a major positive. Adding consistency by dispatching Fulham at the weekend and Spurs in the Carabao Cup next week will be the next season-building step.

Mourinho pulled Gordon aside after the game and admitted he was a “problem”. A worthy endorsement.

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