Newcastle United have suffered another injury setback after Anthony Gordon picked up a hamstring problem during Wednesday night’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester City in the second leg of their EFL Cup semifinal at the Etihad Stadium.
The England international, who has been a key part of Eddie Howe’s side this season, pulled up in the first half and received treatment on the pitch before he was eventually replaced by Harvey Barnes.
The injury comes as a major blow for the Magpies, given Gordon’s importance, as he has already made 33 appearances across all competitions this season and with only a few weeks until Newcastle face Qarabag in their UEFA Champions League playoff tie.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel will also be monitoring the situation closely, as Gordon will be hoping to be fit in time for the international window in March to boost his chances of making the highly competitive Three Lions squad for the FIFA World Cup, which is about four months away.
Speaking after the match, Eddie Howe confirmed that Gordon had suffered a hamstring injury, admitting it was a big concern given the manner in which he had come off.
“It looks like a hamstring problem. I don’t know how bad it is, but it was enough for him to go off, so that is a worry”, the Newcastle United boss said in quotes from Sky Sports.
Gordon’s injury adds to Newcastle United’s lengthy list of absentees, which is already a major issue as the club did not strengthen during the winter transfer window. They are currently without the likes of Joelinton, Tony Livramento, Fabian Schar, Emil Krafth, Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Miley.
There is some positive news, with Guimaraes and Miley both close to a return and could be available for Saturday’s clash against Brentford.
Meanwhile, Joelinton and Krafth remain out for a couple of weeks, while Livramento and Schar are ruled out until March and April, respectively.
Newcastle’s EFL Cup title defence came to a disappointing end on Wednesday night after they were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City, losing 5-1 on aggregate.
Omar Marmoush scored twice before Tijjani Reijnders added a third for the hosts in a rampant first half, while Anthony Elanga grabbed a consolation for the visitors in the second half. City advanced to the final at Wembley, where they will face Arsenal on March 22.
