Anthony Gordon still has a chance of facing Arsenal on Saturday night with Eddie Howe hopeful of an appearance from the England man before the weekend
Anthony Gordon during a Newcastle training session.
Anthony Gordon during a Newcastle training session(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe is hoping to see Anthony Gordon back on the training field before the clash at Arsenal on Saturday night.
The England international missed the 2-1 defeat at home to AFC Bournemouth but Chronicle Live has learned that Gordon will get 'every chance' to prove his fitness before the weekend. Howe is keen to have Gordon back in his starting XI, and despite suggestions that the player is unsettled, there are no issues between the forward and his boss.
Last week, Gordon was linked with Bayern Munich, with Newcastle mystified by the source of some of the stories circulating around the man from Merseyside. His absence against Bournemouth coincided with those transfer rumours but there is no doubt Newcastle may have to consider selling any star they get a big offer for, and Gordon fits into that category.
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Gordon did not train on Tuesday or Wednesday, meaning he could be touch-and-go for the trip to the capital. Howe will hope that Gordon is fit and able to produce the same type of performance at the Emirates Stadium that sunk the Gunners in last season's Carabao Cup semi-finals.
One player that has definitely been ruled out against Mikel Arteta's men is Tino Livramento, who went off with a thigh injury against the Cherries. Livramento has been resting the muscle problem and now faces a second scan of the injury on Saturday to determine his length of absence.
With the World Cup just around the corner, he will hope to feature before the end of the campaign, but can't suffer any further setbacks. Howe has urged his players not to feel sorry for themselves going into the last round of Premier League fixtures.
Having admitted himself, he will absorb criticism; he has told his squad it is on them to put things right. Even after being booed off, Howe said he and his players could have no complaints.
Howe said: "(It was) Very fair. In between that, I thought the supporters were really good. They were doing their best to try to help the team and help players individually. I have no criticism or critique of that.
"I thought they were really there for us. They wanted us to do well. Of course we have to do our bit and if you don't you have to accept criticism."
Howe was also asked by reporters on Saturday whether his squad were feeling the pressure after a win-less run of games in the Premier League.
Howe said: "The word pressure is a funny one, but you can feel that things aren't easy for us at the moment. In turn, the players feel the same as I would. There is only one way to fix that."
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