Eddie Howe believes a slight change to the rules is to blame for Newcastle United being without Anthony Gordon against West Ham. Gordon will sit out the game at London Stadium on Sunday [8 October] after picking up five yellow cards in seven Premier League outings this term. Being without the in-form attacker in East London is a blow for Howe, but the Newcastle boss feels it is something teams will have to get used to.
“[Gordon] will be disappointed because he doesn’t want to miss any games,” Howe told The Gazette [7 October]. “I think he’s been outstanding at the start of this year and I thought he was outstanding again on Wednesday [against Paris Saint-Germain]. “I think the booking side of things has changed this year with the rules. There’s very little leeway on anything and there’s a yellow card out.
“Whether that’s a little pause in attack or whatever it is with the new regulations that have come in so I think suspension will then come to the fore more not just for Anthony and us but for other clubs as well.”
Cards galore
Picking up five yellow cards in seven matches is quite an accomplishment, whether it is due to referees becoming more forgiving or not.
In fact, when you include Champions League games, the Magpies ace has six yellow cards in nine games this season.
This can only be viewed positively by West Ham, given Gordon has been one of Newcastle’s top performers this season.
The 22-year-old has two Premier League goals and two assists, but Howe will need to find a substitute out on the left.
With Miguel Almiron and either Alexander Isak or Callum Wilson through the center, Jacob Murphy appears to be the best choice in that position.
Regardless of who is on the field, Vladimir Coufal is well suited to deal with the threat while also moving forward when the opportunity arises.
In case you were wondering, Edson Alvarez is the only West Ham player who has received four yellow cards so far.
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