Gordon hits back at 'complete nonsense' from Rooney and Shearer

Gordon said he had been in bed ill for three days and could not take part in a Barca walkthrough.

“Anthony Gordon looked like he wanted to get something off his chest”

BBC

He felt ready to start, but head coach Eddie Howe decided to bench him after consulting the medical team.

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Gordon said the decision was Howe's and dismissed claims that he did not want to play in the Barca match as nonsense.

He also rejected Wayne Rooney's suggestion that he had avoided shaking hands, explaining he did not pass them and had changed alone in a small dressing room; that claim was described as complete nonsense.

Newcastle beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, with Gordon scoring the decisive goal.

He led the press from the front and produced high-intensity contributions in the opposition half.

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He even took a knock while sprinting back to challenge Reece James.

Howe praised Gordon, saying he was in a good place and that his performance and goal came at a crucial time for the team.

Newcastle had struggled away from home recently, with form improving only slowly.

“Anthony Gordon looked like he wanted to get something off his chest”

BBC

Howe noted the team's athleticism was returning, and Gordon's goal illustrated that.

The victory gave them confidence ahead of their Champions League tie in Barcelona.

Howe described the Barca game as difficult and said they needed to win to progress.

Howe stressed that Gordon stays focused and does not let noise affect him.

He highlighted that Gordon has been in a very good place of late and delivered in a big game, scoring and contributing in multiple ways to the win, while urging others to block out distractions and stay focused on performance.

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