Anthony Gordon defended by Eddie Howe after Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer criticism | OneFootball

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has defended Anthony Gordon following sharp criticism from football pundits, including club legend Alan Shearer, over the forward's absence from the starting XI in Tuesday's Champions League clash against Barcelona.

Gordon was sidelined due to illness for the crucial European fixture, yet his presence on the bench prompted questions from Shearer.

Speaking as a pundit before the game, the Magpies’ record goal scorer told Amazon Prime: "I know he doesn’t feel well, but this is Barcelona at Newcastle for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

“It would take something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game tonight."

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane echoed these sentiments, telling the Overlap: "How can you be ill, but come on for half an hour?" Wayne Rooney also weighed in with criticism.

However, addressing the media on Friday, Howe clarified the situation, confirming Gordon had not trained on Tuesday morning.

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Gordon was introduced as a 67th-minute replacement for Anthony Elanga at St James’ Park as the Magpies took a late lead through Harvey Barnes’ goal, only for Lamine Yamal to snatch a 1-1 draw for the visitors with a stoppage-tie penalty (Action Images via Reuters)

"I do have to clear something up with Anthony Gordon. He was absolutely willing to play in the game against Barcelona," Howe stated.

"I know there’s a lot of comments. It was my decision not to start him based on the fact that he’d been ill that morning and hadn’t attended the training session. He was prepared to play, but in consultation with the medical team, he didn’t think he was fit to play."

Gordon was introduced as a 67th-minute replacement for Anthony Elanga at St James’ Park as the Magpies took a late lead through Harvey Barnes’ goal, only for Lamine Yamal to snatch a 1-1 draw for the visitors with a stoppage-tie penalty.

Howe now faces a decision over whether or not to restore the 25-year-old England international – who has scored 10 goals in Europe to date this season – to his team at Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday or save him for Wednesday night’s crucial trip to the Nou Camp.

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Alan Shearer questioned why Gordon was well enough to take a seat on the bench, but not to start (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)

Asked about his character and importance to the team, Howe, who revealed skipper Bruno Guimaraes had asked to travel to Barcelona with the team after his planned return from rehabilitation in Brazil on Monday, said: “Ant, I’d probably categorise him as a winner.

“He wants to win everything, he’s a real competitor. He’s got that streak to him that I think all top players need where he’s very single-minded, very focused on his development and his game.

“I can only speak really glowingly of him this year. It hasn’t been a straightforward season for him. He’s had a lot of challenges, as every player does.

“But I think he’s probably in the best moment that he’s been this season currently. He’s playing really well. He’s played, obviously a different role for us, adapted to that really, really well.

“There’s a lot of pressure on him and a lot of media attention on him and rightly so – he’s an England international.

“He’ll (have) his own aims and goals that he wants to achieve, but I think he’s done really well.”