Eddie Howe hits back at Alan Shearer, Roy Keane and Wayne Rooney over ‘bizarre’ decision

Pundits including Alan Shearer, Roy Keane and Wayne Rooney questioned the decision which saw Anthony Gordon start on the bench in Newcastle’s Champions League clash with Barcelona

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has fired back at pundits who questioned Anthony Gordon’s professionalism after he was benched against Barcelona. Gordon, 25, had been ill during the lead-up to Tuesday’s Champions League round-of-16 first leg at St James’ Park.

The England international recovered in time to make the matchday squad, but he was only named on the bench. Howe explained before kick-off that Gordon wasn’t fit enough to start, leading to criticism from Alan Shearer, Roy Keane and Wayne Rooney.

Newcastle legend Shearer told Prime Video Sport: “Maybe I’m old school, but if you’re fit enough to train in the morning, and I know he doesn’t feel well, but this is Barcelona at Newcastle for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It would take something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game tonight.”

The following day, with Newcastle having conceded a late penalty to draw 1-1, Roy Keane queried on the Stick to Football podcast: “How can you be ill and come on for half an hour? It’s bizarre, isn’t it?”

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After Gary Neville defended Gordon, who played half an hour as a substitute, Keane argued: “Oh Gary, because you did an interview with him last year and you thought he was a really nice lad! How can you be ill, but come on for half an hour?

‘You hear managers every week say, ‘He’s not fit enough to start, but he’ll be good enough for the bench’. Something might happen after five minutes. I don’t get it. If he’s that important, start him and take him off after half an hour.”

Wayne Rooney added: “Eddie Howe said before the game that he probably has 20 or 30 minutes in him. That’s telling you the sports scientists and the doctors are (suggesting he can play). If you’re ill, you’re ill.

“You shouldn’t be there. He walked past us before the game and wouldn’t shake our hands. He said he didn’t want us to catch anything, but then he’s going into the dressing room with his team-mates.”

Should Anthony Gordon have started? Have your say in the comments section.

Howe felt compelled to address the criticism at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Chelsea. “I do have to clear something up with Anthony Gordon,” the Magpies boss began. “He was absolutely willing to play in the game against Barcelona.

“I know there’s a lot of comments. It was my decision not to start him based on the fact that he’d been ill that morning and hadn’t attended the training session. So he was prepared to play, but in consultation with the medical team, we didn’t think he was fit to play.”

Howe went on to say: “My perception is that he does face a lot of scrutiny, but I think that comes with being a top player. As soon as you play for England, you go to a different level in terms of scrutiny and expectation. I think Ant has done that well and he’s single-minded enough to blank out a lot of the noise. It’s one of his strengths.

“I’d categorise him as a winner. He wants to win everything, he’s a real competitor. He’s got that streak to him that I think all top players need where he’s very single-minded, very focused on his development and his game. I can only speak really glowingly of him this year. He’s probably in the best moment he’s been this season.”

Despite his involvement against Barcelona, Gordon didn’t train on Friday and remains a doubt for the second leg next Wednesday. “We trained this morning and Anthony didn’t make it,” Howe revealed.

“So that’s a pretty good sign that he’s not in the best physical condition. The doctors and everyone did a great job to get him at the start line for us, albeit for a short period of time. I thought he made a good contribution when he came on.”