Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is facing a selection headache ahead of their EFL Cup final against Liverpool on March 16.
The Magpies have reached the final for second time in three years – after losing out to Manchester United in 2023 – and they are aiming for a first major trophy win since lifting the FA Cup in 1955.
Defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion over the weekend ended their FA Cup campaign for this season so the Wembley showdown with Arne Slot is Howe’s only route to a trophy in 2025.
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Danny Welbeck came off the bench to snatch an extra time win for Brighton at St. James’ Park in a feisty battle between the two sides on Tyneside.
Antony Gordon was shown a straight red card on 81 minutes, after lashing out at Jan Paul van Hecke, with Tariq Lamptey dismissed in added time for a second yellow card.
Howe was asked for view on the Gordon incident at full-time and he confirmed an appeal will be launched to prevent him from missing the final.
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Gordon was dismissed by referee Anthony Taylor for reacting angrily and pushing Van Hecke in the back of the head after the whistle had already blown for a previous foul.
🗣️ “A very unwise thing for Gordon to do!”
Dermot Gallagher believes it was ‘inevitable’ that Antony Gordon would be sent off in Newcastle’s FA Cup game and doesn’t see a scenario where an appeal would be successful that would allow him to play in the Carabao Cup final ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bg9hT47rmm
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 3, 2025
A straight red card for violent conduct immediately incurs a three-game ban, which in this instance incudes cup competitions, meaning Gordon will miss the final.
As it stands, he will also miss the two Premier League games either side of it, at West Ham United on March 10 and the home game with Brentford on April 2.
“Of course. If we analyse the incident and feel there’s grounds for that [an appeal], we will do it without hesitation,” Howe stated.
“I need to see it, I can’t give an honest opinion until I’ve done the work and looked at it properly. But knowing the player, I know there’s no malice intended.”
Newcastle were infamously without first-choice goal keeper Nick Pope for the final defeat against Man United two years ago and they will now face an anxious wait on Gordon.
The ban could potentially be cut to one game or two, if Newcastle can prove the intent does not meet the criteria for ‘violent conduct’, but their chances appear to be slim.
Missing Gordon will be major blow for Howe, as the England international has scored nine goals and provided six assists in 34 games this season, only behind 22-goal top scorer Alexander Isak.
It will also require a double change on Newcastle’s left-hand side with Lewis Hall expected to miss out with an ankle injury.
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