According to England boss Thomas Tuchel, Anthony Gordon has been sent home from international duty after suffering a minor problem with his hip.
Newcastle United won’t be back in action in the Premier League until next Wednesday at St James’ Park, where supporters will see their Carabao Cup-winning squad play for the first time since their historic victory.
Many of the players are away on international duty with their respective countries, however, the remaining squad have been involved in a warm-weather training camp in Dubai following trophy celebrations in London.
Both Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento were selected to represent England in their World Cup 2026 qualifier campaign, and despite not getting the nod in the starting eleven Gordon featured in the 2-0 win over Albania on Friday evening, while Livramento was an unused substitution on the bench.
However, neither will feature in the second and final clash of the new era under Thomas Tuchel against Latvia, as Livramento has been left out of the match-day squad at Wembley Stadium tonight.
The talented full-back has been a revelation for Newcastle since becoming the first-choice right-back for Eddie Howe and has also excelled on the left flank in the absence of Lewis Hall who is out for the season with a foot injury.
When asked about his decision to omit Livramento from the squad in his pre-match press conference yesterday, the England boss revealed:
“We have to get the process right to find the best group. If that means we leave very good and talented players out of the squad this can happen.”
“In the next 16 months it is important we find the right team and not the most talented 26 players. We need to get the team right. We need to get the team spirit right because it’s one thing to play qualifiers, it’s another thing to play tournament football.”
On Gordon, it was revealed that he was forced to leave England camp over the weekend after suffering a hip injury and Tuchel was happy to give some further detail on the extent of the winger’s issue:
“It’s just a matter of pain. There’s a big bruise around the hip region and he’s unable to walk properly.”
“He left camp. He has a huge bruise around the hip region and it was so painful he couldn’t even walk properly. He needs some time to heal and to get better. That’s why he left camp. It’s a shame because he had a good chance to start, and I’m sad that he is now out.”
Will Anthony Gordon be fit for Brentford?
There is no doubt that Gordon has played a huge role in Newcastle’s success since his arrival from Everton back in January 2023, and having him back for the final ten games of the season will be crucial in their Champions League qualification chances.
Newcastle are currently sixth in the Premier League table with a game in hand over their competitors for a Champions League spot, it is all but confirmed that English football will get five places in the elite European competition next season, so a fifth-place finish would be enough for the Magpies.
However, Gordon is ineligible for Newcastle’s Premier League return next Wednesday as he is set to serve his third and final suspension in his current three-match ban, so he would not be available for selection anyway next week despite his injury concern.
The talented 24-year-old will be back for the clash with Leicester City on April 7th should he recover in time for the trip to the King Power Stadium, where Newcastle will be back in the swing of their Champions League charge.
With that being said, it could be a blessing in disguise that Gordon has taken this knock when he has as it will now give him plenty of time to rest without missing too much club football.
