“Anthony Gordon insists he had good intentions following his reckless red card in the match against Liverpool.”

Anthony Gordon has responded following his red card in Liverpool’s thrilling 3-2 win over Newcastle on Monday night.

The Reds were ahead 1-0 when, shortly before halftime, Gordon’s studs scraped down the back of Virgil van Dijk’s calf, leaving noticeable marks on the Dutch defender. Referee Simon Hooper initially showed a yellow card but, after reviewing the incident with VAR, upgraded it to a red, reducing Eddie Howe’s team to ten players for the rest of the game.

Gordon has since apologized for the reckless challenge on Liverpool’s captain, stressing that he never intended to harm anyone on the field. According to The Independent, the Newcastle forward said, “I want to sincerely apologise to my teammates and the fans. My intentions were pure. I was just trying to spark some energy in the game but mistimed my tackle. I also want to apologise to Virgil. I would never purposely try to injure someone. We talked after, and he understands.”

This red card marks Gordon’s third dismissal in the last 18 months, following previous send-offs against West Ham in March 2024 and Brighton in the FA Cup last season. The Brighton incident was due to a foolish moment of frustration, and this latest one again raises concerns about his discipline on the pitch.

The match at St James’ Park was intense throughout, and while Gordon is not the first to make an impulsive challenge in the heat of the moment, his tackle on Van Dijk was dangerous and could have seriously injured the Liverpool defender.

Thankfully, Van Dijk recovered well and went on to deliver a strong performance for Liverpool, in contrast to his less effective defensive partner Ibrahima Konate, although Van Dijk’s reaction to the challenge was understandable.

At least Gordon has acknowledged his mistake and apologized. However, he now faces a three-match suspension at a time when Newcastle is already lacking attacking options. This partly explains their firm ‘not-for-sale’ position on striker Alexander Isak, despite the player’s clear desire to leave.

For his own development, it’s crucial that the England international learns to control his emotions better and avoids repeating such reckless tackles that result in early dismissals, like the one that ended his involvement just before halftime last night.