Anthony Gordon fails test of nerve in the battle of Goodison Park

This was not so much Everton versus Newcastle United as the battle of Anthony Gordon and Goodison Park.
The ex-Everton winger might concede he played the stadium more than the game when missing a 34th minute penalty, Jordan Pickford’s inside knowledge denying his England team-mate and earning his side a goalless draw.
Gordon ought to have made amends when sent clear with seven minutes left, his anxious, snatched effort again leaving the impression that in any other venue he would have been the matchwinner.
“Naturally he will be disappointed but it was a much better performance here than last year and he dealt with the occasion well,” countered his manager Eddie Howe.
“His overall performance was very good. Anyone could miss a penalty. I have no issues with him taking it or taking one in the future.”
But Howe knew such opportunities had to be taken to change the flavour of the kind of attritional game Sean Dyche loves, Everton hustling their way to a point by allowing Newcastle the ball but never a sense of comfort. It was an evening which suited the hosts when the aggro level intensified as the quality dwindled.
For two clubs with much in common there is a perceptible mutual antipathy between Everton and Newcastle. They are giants in their region with aspirations to export their untapped potential, the takeovers they craved for so long seemingly taking them in different directions.
Everton hope their most recent buy-out – still to be ratified – will enable them to build the kind of foundations Howe is still in the process of constructing. Three years into their new era under the Saudis, Newcastle stand as an example that no matter how capable and ambitious prospective Everton owner Dan Friedkin is, the days when a few mega-million-pound cheques will immediately propel an underperforming club to title contention are gone.
There should be empathy as they sit among the clubs dreaming of the day they can change the balance of power in English football. Newcastle’s assistant Jason Tindall even seemed to be trying to endear himself to the locals by wearing a shell suit which looked like it had been provided by the costume department from 80s and 90s soap opera Brookside.
But there was no kinship, the sight of Gordon in a black and white jersey a reminder that Newcastle possess the hope and resources Evertonians desire.
Gordon was sold due to a combination of his determination to go and Everton’s financial needs. But to his former supporters his actions constituted a betrayal when the club was fighting relegation – the winger’s flirtation with Liverpool last summer picked at the wound.
The deafening jeering of his name before kick-off was merely an hors d’oeuvre.
This reached a crescendo when Gordon strode forward for the spot kick after a VAR intervention correctly observed James Tarkowski grappling with Sandro Tonali, Everton’s centre-half indulging in a shove more worthy of the WWE.
Incensed, the home supporters increased the decibel level when noting the penalty taker. Gordon faced a test of nerve to beat Pickford and failed, England’s No 1 diving to his left to make a save celebrated as much as any Everton goal this season.
Newcastle continued to look more dangerous at the start of the second half, Idrissa Gueye clearing a Tonali header off the line, although Dominic Calvert-Lewin was denied by Nick Pope and a contentious decision not to award a penalty after tangling legs with Dan Burn.
Should Everton have been awarded a penalty? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/hxL75Xf29k
“It is a bizarre one,” said Dyche. “The thing I can’t work out is you see so many weak pens. He [Calvert-Lewin] is clearly trying to strike at goals and their lad interrupts it. At least have a look at it. We just don’t get them.”
For all the complaints, the incident would have been irrelevant had Gueye not fired over from six yards.
Gordon’s squandered opportunities left the lasting impression. Everyone could shake hands and call it a draw, but the England winger will have felt most bruised by the scrap.
That’s the final word on the Premier League’s only goalless game of the day. You can read Chris Bascombe’s words up top, thanks for following the live text coverage.
I thought we played well today – without the final bit, which is the most important part. I thought we controlled the game. They’re a difficult team to contain because they’re an obvious set-piece threat and any loose second ball, if you switch off, you can be punished. We handled that side of the game really well and were good, up until the final action … it was our best away performance for a long time.
Anthony Gordon did really well, he epitomised the performance, I thought his general game was really good, his movement was really strong. The disappointment for him and us, of course, will be the penalty, but overall, I was really pleased with his performance.
I think he has his [penalty] process, it’s been brilliant for him. Every penalty up until that one I’ve ever seen has been superbly executed under pressure. It’s never easy [to take one].
I haven’t really spoke to him [Tarkowski] about the penalty properly, but I presume he thought he was getting tugged. But you can’t tug people to the ground like that, Jordan [Pickford]’s done great, done his homework and made a good save.
And then we don’t get one [when Calvert-Lewin and Burn tangled in the second half]. Everyone knows our record of not getting penalties and we don’t get one again, and you are left frustrated with that.
He’s trying to finish it, the ball is there to be finished. I don’t think the player can get the ball. Let’s put it this way for everyone who wants to listen: if that’s in the middle of the pitch, do you think it’s given as a foul? I think everyone would say absolutely, 100 percent.
The Newcastle United beanpole has just been speaking to Sky Sports after the game.
On whether it was a game where two points escaped them:
I think so. I think it was a lot better performance by us, we’ve been poor away from home this season … I thought we were a lot better, we battled well. We had to deal with the physicality, but I’m disappointed we didn’t come away with more.
On the improvement they’re showing:
Massive. I think [the defeat against] Fulham was a big wake-up call, I think we were getting a little bit complacent. So the gaffer and us had some honest conversations, I think we reacted well but it’s always quite an intimidating atmosphere coming to Goodison. We dealt with it well.
On the bravery Gordon showed to take the penalty:
It’s huge, we’ll always back Gordy to take them and he’s been an amazing player for us since he signed. I know he was a great player for Everton too. It’s just one of those things, he’s missed and we wanted to pull a result out for him.
On his worry over a second-half penalty claim after tangling with Calvert-Lewin:
I was a little bit worried. I think it’s one of those where if the ref gives it, it probably doesn’t get overturned. I put my foot in front and sensed Dominic [Calvert-Lewin] had kicked me, but as a defender, any time there’s contact in the box, you worry. I haven’t seen it, so I won’t be able to comment on it properly.
On whether there is more to come from Newcastle this season:
I think there’s definitely still more to come. I think we showed good character, it shows a good team if you pick up results when you’re not playing well.
Speaking to Sky Sports post-match, the Everton goalkeeper said:
We know playing against Newcastle, it’s going to be tough. Intensity is high. I think we grafted for a point tonight. We weren’t at our best but we’re resilient, put our bodies on the line and we had to dig in.
We can show a bit more quality going forward, but we’re unbeaten in three. To get a point and not lose is good, it’s our first clean sheet on the board.
On whether it was an advantage knowing Anthony Gordon and having played together for the penalty:
Not really. Trying to double bluff each other and I’ve got the better of him tonight. I’m pleased because it’s a big moment in the game and managed to get us a draw.
On saving Gordon’s penalty:
To be fair, I watched the game last week [against Manchester City] and he reversed it against Ederson. So I said I’d go to my left, which I did. It hit me of my knee and straight off me beak. 
I don’t think Ant executed it to perfection, he might be disappointed with that but I’m there to make the save and that’s what I did.
On taking a point despite several injuries to Everton defenders:
We’ve got a couple of injuries, a few to be fair! But everyone’s got to be ready for the chance. Once you’ve got the opportunity, you’ve got to take it and give the manager a [selection] headache. That’s the good thing about football.
We help each other out as much as we can and improve each week.
Possession: Everton 32%-68% Newcastle United
Shots: 8-14
Shots on target: 2-3
Touches in the opposition’s box: 12-42
Expected goals (xG): 0.64-2.07
Corners: 0-10
After an underwhelming second-half, the game petered out and it’s honours even. Newcastle move up to sixth place, six points behind leaders Liverpool. Everton are 16th.
Anthony Gordon was lively on the attack but he will regret missing his penalty – post-match, he shared a few words and a smile with Jordan Pickford – as well as a couple of other half-chances. Did the occasion get the better of him when he stepped up to sink the peno?
Undoubtedly, Newcastle United missed a cool, calm finisher. As for Everton: it wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done defensively, warming to their task as the game wore on.
James Garner goes for goal, but the ball flies tamely over the bar. 
Craig Pawson blows the final whistle and it’s goalless at Goodison Park.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin beats a defender, and Fabian Schar takes him down, earning himself a yellow card. Everton have a free kick centrally, 35 yards out. It’s in an awkward position, it would take a pinpoint effort to score direct from there.
Longstaff is dispossessed, but then McNeil loses it as he seeks to break. Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy.
Is there time for one more chance? Livramento’s ball gets through to Joelinton in the middle but he slashes a leg at the ball and misses.
Just one shot on target from 13 shots this half. The lack of clinical finishing is telling, as Joelinton sprays one wide from 25 yards out.
There will be a minimum of four minutes of additional time. Four more minutes to break the deadlock. Everton will be happier with a point.
Joelinton and Tarkowski go shoulder-to-shoulder as they pursue a ball on the left touchline, and the call goes the Everton defender’s way from the referee.
The Newcastle player gives it a lot of the stereotypically Italian thumb-to-middle finger expression to convey his displeasure. Maybe Tonali taught him that one?
Newcastle United’s build-up play has impressed, but the end product has been lacking tonight.
Case in point: Guimaraes and Joelinton link up well in midfield to set up Almiron on the right-side of the box, but it’s a shonky shot. He fluffed his lines there.
Yellow card for Lewis Hall after a cynical foul to delay an Everton break. 
After Calvert-Lewin cedes possession, Joelinton puts Willock through on the left, but he’s narrowly offside. Nevertheless, Pickford got down well to beat his cross-shot away. 
Now it’s Everton’s turn to threaten. The dangerous Ndiaye dinks over a fine ball from the far right to the back post for McNeil but he miscues with his left-footed volley. The ball ends up bouncing around his feet and the chance is gone. Maybe he was put off by Doucoure, jumping just in front of him.
Anthony Gordon is put through down the right by Almiron, and he shoots over the bar and well over the onrushing Pickford. No defenders around him, he should have tested the goalkeeper. 
James Tarkowski was playing him onside too.
Joe Willock plays a slide-rule pass for Joelinton down the lift and James Garner sprints and slides to poke it out off the Brazilian for a goal kick. The former Manchester United man has been impressive today.
Ten minutes to go. This half has been a bit more even, though Newcastle United players would be kicking themselves post-match if the home side come away with all three points.
Corner number ten for Newcastle after Tino Livramento’s ball is blocked. However, Calvert-Lewin is back on the front post doing his defensive duties and clears Everton’s lines. Idrissa Gueye tries to break quickly, but there’s not many blue shirts around him and he has to settle for a throw-in on the halfway line. 
I can see this getting into a rhythm of Newcastle attack and Everton counter-attack. Joelinton goes up against James Garner by the left corner flag, but that’s a great, clean tackle from the Everton man.
 
Everton are slow to clear the ball in their own box and Miguel Almiron nearly capitalises, his deflected shot hitting the side netting. A few Newcastle fans up in the gods thought that was in, eliciting sarcastic cheers from their Everton counterparts.
Twenty minutes left. Surely there’s a goal in this, as legs and bodies tire and spaces open up.
Dwight McNeil dashes a shot just wide from the edge of the box. The home fans are shouting, and Everton look a bit more lively.
Substitutions for Everton and Newcastle: Iroegbunam comes on for Harrison, while Joe Willock replaces Jacob Murphy.
Kieran Trippier has picked up a knock, and he comes off too. Tino Livramento is on for the experienced campaigner.
Bruno Tonali gets hooked too, for Sean Longstaff.
Tonali gave the ball away, and Everton pounced. McNeil played in Calvert-Lewin, whose shot was well-saved by Pope on the turn. But as the striker went to follow up the parry, Dan Burn clattered into the back of him, taking him down.
It looks like a penalty to the naked eye. The VAR is looking at it. It appears Calvert-Lewin kicked the back of Burn’s foot. Nothing doing from the referee. 
It’s getting a bit scrappy, both teams giving possession away. Gordon drives and gives it to Joelinton on the left edge of the box and the visitors try to spread the ball and work an opportunity.
So much is going through Gordon, he’s the Newcastle nucleus. He sets up Almiron, whose ball across smacks off Keane’s knee, onto Pickford’s torso and out for a corner. The England goalkeeper screams and pulls a face at his defence.
Pickford sends a free kick forward from the halfway line, but it misses Keane and Tarkowski, rolling out. Peak Dycheball.
Substitution for Newcastle: Off goes Barnes, replaced by Miguel Almiron. The youngster was looking a bit more lively in the second-half, so that’s a faint surprise.
Ndiaye fights off Newcastle challenges down the left, but it’s snuffed out and that white tide of Newcastle shirts surges again. Time and time again, Everton are losing possession cheaply in midfield.
Bruno Guimaraes fires over from 15 yards out. Gordon had space on the left and tried a one-two with Joelinton, which ran to Guimaraes. Newcastle players almost queuing up for the shot.
Substitution for Everton: Idrissa Gueye comes on for Orel Mangala, who has been ponderous at times.
Dwight McNeil’s low, raking shot from 35 yards out goes a few metres wide of the far post. It would take a worldie to score from there. As we approach the hour mark, that is Everton’s first shot of the game.
Jason Tindall’s attire today has gone full 1980s scouser with a dapper shell suit. Harry Enfield and the ex-Brookside case will be nodding in approval at the Newcastle United assistant manager.
Joelinton puts on the after-burners to get to the ball ahead of Mangala on the left. His low ball in finds an Everton boot and goes out for a Trippier corner – Newcastle’s sixth of the game. Pickford flaps at it and it goes out for a goal kick; he grazed it onto the head of Joelinton.
Everton living really dangerously.
Newcastle are pressing well. Harvey Barnes gets the ball off Jack Harrison and can break with Lewis Hall, but it’s an over-hit pass into space near the left byline from Hall, allowing Everton time to get men back and no chance to get a ball in. 
No changes at half-time, as Newcastle kick off for the second half. Tonali gets the ball off Ndiaye and Gordon is free to run down the right and put over a cross. Joelinton’s shot is blocked and it takes all the speed and direction off it, allowing Everton to come away with the ball.
Harvey Barnes has faded out of the game after a promising 15 minutes, so the England-capped midfielder will be looking to have more of an impact. Newcastle have had a lot of love down his left flank, with several successful link-ups between Joelinton and Anthony Gordon. 
It feels like Everton’s luck will run out if they don’t tighten up their defence or be better at stopping that midfield trio making the most of space. Aside from that mid-half Doucouré header, disallowed for offside, they’ve not been able to test Nick Pope.
That was a first half in which the sense of aggro increased in proportion to the quality dwindling. Newcastle are more pleasing on the eye, but there is a derby-like atmosphere because of the Gordon-factor. 
The ex-Everton winger’s missed penalty was one of a few examples in which he is playing the stadium more than the game.  
Newcastle ought to be a goal to the good. On target, but weak and far too saveable. Pickford had his number. And the noise afterwards… I’m not sure an Everton goal would elicit such a racket from the Goodison crowd, unless it was an Anthony Gordon own-goal.
A glance at the possession stats reveals it’s 70% for Newcastle. To be honest, I was expecting even more. They’ve worked the ball around well.
Time for one more attack in the first half. Guiamaraes sprays it wide to Murphy, whose pinpoint cross is met by Gordon on the edge of the six-yard box. Yet, he opts to nod it back for a team-mate, when he was better off going for goal himself, and an Everton defender gets to the ball first. Well, Gordon was a little bit ahead of the ball, mistiming his jump slightly, so he couldn’t do much else. That was a chance though.
Joelinton drives forward into the box, but his control is too loose. Doucouré can get in front of him to slow him, and Tarkowski clears it away. Still, the home team are struggling to keep possession of the ball and give it away cheaply again. Half-time beckons.
Michael Keane sprints across to cover and block a marauding Joelinton run on the left side into the box. He’s been a defensive Beauty so far, while James Tarkowski has been the Beast. 
Newcastle are making Everton work hard to keep things even.
Yellow card. Dwight McNeil is the first man to go in Craig Pawson’s book after lunging recklessly in on Bruno Guimaraes. 
The atmosphere is getting more frenetic at Goodison Park. Ashley Young chunters away at an official. Six minutes of added time at the end of the first-half.
This has all the hallmarks of a typical Dyche ‘underdog’ game – the opposition are allowed to keep the ball, but look vulnerable defensively when it gets physical under an aerial bombardment. This is going to be a test of Newcastle’s courage as much as skill. File it under a ‘clash of styles’ already.
Joelinton volleys over the bar from the edge of the box. A lot of the attacking play has flowed through him, but he’ll have to do a lot better than that. 
The ball came out from an Everton head, getting their just ahead of big Dan Burn. Five minutes until half-time, a respite which Sean Dyche will welcome.
Abdoulaye Doucoure jumped up just in front of Gordon’s face to celebrate with a delighted Jordan Pickford. The goalkeeper turned to the fans behind him and pointed to his head with his index finger.
Gordon gets another quarter-chance in the penalty box, but Keane gets a foot in to nick it. Newcastle might have missed a penalty, but they’re pouring forward and pushing for an opener.
What was Tarkowski doing?
Such was the noise inside Goodison, that was a test of nerve for Gordon. Sadly for him, he bottled it. 
Adding insult to iffy defending, Anthony Gordon has the ball under his arm and places it on the spot.
Some deep breaths… he fires it low to the left and Jordan Pickford saves it with his knees! The roof nearly comes off Goodison Park with the overjoyed reaction.
The home fans boo. After looking at the pitch-side monitor, referee Craig Pawson points at the spot. Penalty for Newcastle.
Another Barnes ball over from the left is shephered out for a corner. After a one-two with Tripper, Jacob Murphy tried to curl it in from 25 yards.
The replay shows Sandro Tonali being dumped on the ground by an Everton defender, looks like Tarkowski. It’s being checked by the VAR. There was no need to do that, and he may well be punished for his pointlessly handsy defending.
After a slaloming Anthony Gordon run into the box is repelled by a desperate leg in defence, the home team can push forward. A speculative Mangala shot from 30 yards is blocked before it can get up much speed. Everton are having a little more time on the ball.
James Tarkowski is spraying balls upfield to Calvert-Lewin, and Everton almost fashion a threatening crossa after the striker holds the ball well and delivers it to a team-mate. Another ball from the centre-back narrowly eludes the Sheffield-born front man.
Anthony Gordon may have been advised to wear ear plugs this evening. Not sure what offence is considered worse to the Goodison faithful – forcing the move to Newcastle or flirting with the idea of joining Liverpool.
Anthony Gordon plays a one-two with Joelinton and breezes past Garner. However, as he looks to deliver a killer pass at the byline, an Everton defender gets a touch and Pickford can gather the ball. Very nearly unlocked the home defence there. Gordon’s former team-mates will know full well how dangerous a threat he poses.
Abdoulaye Doucouré does it again. He wheels away to celebrate after rising high to power home a searching cross from the right. Or not… VAR scrubs it off. He’s a yard offside. 
Another cross from the left is poorly dealt with by Everton. It eludes the jumping Newcastle attackers and rolls through to Trippier. The visitors work it to Jacob Murphy, who finds space in a congested box for a shot. Straight at Pickford.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is put into space and outpaces a challenge as he charges towards goal. However, as he runs towards the box, he’s left with too much to do. Pope gratefully gathers his tame shot. The 27-year-old has started brightly, trying to make things happen.
Joelinton rises to nod on a ball to Harvey Barnes on the left wing, but it’s flagged for offside. The visitors are settling down, enjoying more possession and making the most of space on the flanks.
Incidentally, this fixture ended in a 3-0 win for Everton last season, with late goals for Dwight McNeil, Abdoulaye Doucouré and Beto.
Off the line from Bruno Guimaraes. He was unmarked at the back post, and his right-foot low shot from the edge of the six-yard box flicks off Ndiaye’s out-stretched leg and just past the post for a corner. Jordan Pickford was beaten there.
The Everton attacker didn’t know much about that block, but he’s saved their blushes there.
James Tarkowski sends a pinpoint high ball to Calvert-Lewin, who gets there ahead of Trippier. His foot is adjudged to be high as he nicks it off the defender’s head, but the referee blows up for a foul after the striker shoots wide from an acute angle. 
Everton testing Newcastle’s back line early doors, no clear-cut chances yet.
Pickford turns defence into attack after snuffing out a so-so pass back. Eagle-eyed goalkeeping. Jack Harrison takes it on the right and moves into the box but the home fans sigh as his ball across does not find an Everton shirt.
Everton get a free kick on the halfway line and Pickford moves up the pitch to fire it into the mixer. Nick Pope punches away a looping James Tarkowski flick-on header and the away team clear their lines.
A reminder – Newcastle are currently in seventh place in the table after a strong start, only losing a single game. Everton are 16th, having moved out of the relegation zone a week ago after their 2-1 win against Crystal Palace.
Eddie Howe’s side will be chasing Champions League places; Sean Dyche would no doubt love Everton to move smoothly towards mid-table and have a settled season.
To the strains of Z-Cars theme. Home fans will be hoping for an A-class performance. If they can perform like they did last weekend in the second half against Crystal Palace, we’ll have a close game on our hands. Dwight McNeil will be full of confidence after his well-taken brace.
There is a, ahem, robust reaction from home fans when Anthony Gordon’s name is announced over the PA. He left Everton in January 2023 for Newcastle.
Is to do with St James’ Park. Anyone who has driven into the city will be all too aware of the site of the famous stadium perched high in the centre, the city’s alternative cathedral and a physical sign and presence of the importance of the club to the area. 
But will the club stay there, will they move? 
Here’s Luke Edwards’ report regards the options facing the club. 
READ: Newcastle considering ‘massive redevelopment’ of St James’ Park and surrounding area
Everton fans arriving at Goodison Park. 
Everton XI: Pickford, Garner, Keane, Tarkowski, Young, Doucoure, Mangala, Harrison, Ndiaye, NcNeil, Calvert-Lewin.
Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall, Tonani, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Murphy, Barnes, Gordon.
Three changes for Everton, as Garner, Keane and Harrison come in for Mykolenko, Branthwaite and Lindstrøm. Newcastle unchanged after their 1-1 draw with Man City last time out.
Good to go at Goodison Park! 💪 pic.twitter.com/yqJmYq7KTE
Your Toffees to face Newcastle United. COYB! 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/QLttujDx4a
…phew.
Reporting for duty. 🫡 #EVENEW pic.twitter.com/ybUcp6lfgP
What do you do if you cannot for the life of you hold onto a lead? Well, if you go behind, of course…
That seemed to do the trick for Everton who – having seen two-goal leads turn into defeats against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, then saw a one-goal lead turn into a draw against Leicester – finally secured their first win of the season, a 2-1 win at home against Crystal Palace having gone behind in the first-half.
The hope is that they can take that up-tick in form (four points in their past two matches) into what will likely be a tricky match at home to Newcastle today.
The thing is that, for all their lack of points and positivity, Everton have played well at home. They dominated against Bournemouth and, but for all the madness of shipping three goals after 87 minutes, would have been well worth the three points they looked certain to collect.
It’s a cliche but they have to get their points at home. In Goodison Park’s last season in existence defeats have to be turned into draws, and draws into wins, it’s how they will avoid yet another anxious, nail-biting end to the campaign.
And Sean Dyche is hoping his side can take the performance from the win over Palace into today’s match against Newcastle. “Confidence is that funny thing in that it comes and goes, but mainly you have to have an underbelly of confidence to be a professional footballer,” the Everton manager said.
“Of course it heightens it when you get a reward and you can win.
“There are players who played well in the previous games and didn’t win who will be confident about their own performance, but I think winning brings that whole team confidence and collective mentality where everyone feels a bit better about life.”
Stay here for all the team news and action, with kick-off set for 5.30.