Anthony Gordon’s sending off might actually impact Liverpool more than Newcastle - opinion
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Liverpool only just managed to get past Newcastle despite them being reduced to 10 men.
Monday night football certainly did not disappoint and Newcastle vs the Reds was certainly one of the most entertaining games of the season so far.
It had plenty of goals, a great atmosphere and a whole load of big challenges flying in, everything you would want from two teams that are not on the best of terms right now.
The Alexander Isak saga has certainly caused a lot of tension among the Newcastle camp and that was evident from both fans and players, with some perhaps letting the occasion get the better of them.
One man who did was Anthony Gordon, with the boyhood Red getting himself sent off after a very late and high challenge on Virgil van Dijk.
This is something that should have helped Liverpool, but somehow it did not, but the after effects of his red card might also impact the Reds more than Newcastle themselves.
Photo by Harriet Massey/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Isak really has been doing everything he can to force a move this summer, with the Swede refusing to train and insisting he will never play for the club again.
In the meantime, Newcastle have had to find alternative arrangements in his absence, with their striker at the start of the season being… Gordon.
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However, with the Englishman now banned for three games, this just gives the Magpies another reason to keep hold of the Swede, especially if they do not manage to get any reinforcements through the door.
With the International break coming at the end of next weekend’s fixtures too, this gives Isak even more time to be reintegrated into the team, meaning that he very well could be leading the line again come gameweek four.
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As Gordon will be missing, the possibility of this also becomes even greater, meaning his red card might actually have impacted Liverpool more than Newcastle themselves.
The one glimmer of hope for the Reds is that William Osula, who is a natural number nine, did come off the bench to score, suggesting he might be able to be their striker for the next three matches, allowing Isak to move onto pastures new.
Although Newcastle have insisted that the reason for not selling Isak is due to them not having a replacement, everyone knows that they were not going to let him go before their game against Liverpool anyway.
Now that this is done and dusted, movement in the saga should start to occur, although it needs to happen quickly as there is less than a week until the deadline.
The fact the Magpies are putting bids in for strikers is also a good sign, although actually landing one of their targets seems unlikely given their track record.
There is still a chance they sell without signing a replacement, albeit a very slim chance, but keeping a very unhappy player at the club seems a bad idea for everyone involved.