Anthony Gordon: 'I don't care for people's opinion' | OneFootball

Gordon has six goals in the tournament so far this term - only Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane have scored more - and he admits that it's stage which "brings out extra in players."

United currently sit in seventh place on 13 points and have already secured a top-half finish amongst the play-off teams - but victory at the Parc des Princes would see them qualify for the knock-out stages automatically.

"I do love the Champions League - I think brings out extra in players," said the England winger as he spoke to reporters ahead of the game. "It's the biggest competition in the world; for me, it's the best. Every player grows up wanting to play in this competition so I'd be lying if I said it didn't bring out some extra motivation or adrenaline.

"You're facing the European champions, like we are tomorrow; you're playing all the best players, the best managers, the travelling... it's just the biggest and the best."

Gordon has scored twice in the Premier League and once in the FA Cup, meaning he's just one short of double figures in all competitions. But when asked why the bulk of those have come in Europe, Gordon admitted: "I don't have an answer for you, unfortunately.

"It's just one of those things - I'm trying the exact same in both games and trying to do the right things always; they're just going in the Champions League."

He added: "I think perception sometimes can distort reality a little bit. I think people's expectations of me have grown - and rightly so, I'm completely fine with that, but I know I'm doing the right things every day. Whether I'm flying, whether I'm not playing so well, I try and just give my best.

"The result sometimes is kind of out of my hands. I'm also playing against right backs who are elite themselves. So I know people expect a lot from me, but they're also quite good players themselves, and they get paid quite well to stop me.

"I stay off social media... it's not for me. I don't care for people's opinion. Whether they love me or they don't like me, it doesn't bother me either way.

"I like to just go on my own motivation, the things that motivate me daily. That comes from within for me. Everyone works differently, some people can use the social media stuff for motivation, but that's not my style."

Gordon and Newcastle certainly don't need any extra motivation on Wednesday night, given what's at stake.

United famously beat PSG 4-1 at St. James' Park in the Champions League in October 2023, then were denied another victory in the return game in Paris by a controversially-awarded Mbappé penalty in the 98th minute. "The first one was one of the best I've ever been a part of, if you're talking atmosphere, adrenaline, how I actually felt in the moment," said Gordon. "That was definitely one of the best; how we pressed them, we got the early goal and then just seemed to get better and better.

"It felt like it was just a night made for everyone in Newcastle. I remember everyone being so happy - fans, players, staff - after the game. The second one was more frustrating. It was an amazing performance, one that I was very proud of at the time, but to obviously finish the game the way we did was was tough."

Gordon rates PSG full-back Achraf Hakimi as "the best I've played against" and is under no illusions as to the size of the task which awaits Newcastle on Wednesday night. But he added: "We're always trying to do the right things, no matter the competition. It's hard really to look at what competition we're playing in, because the games come so thick and fast that we just try and do the right things.

"That's what I try and do individually as well. You just give it your best - that's all we can do as a team."