Suggesting Sunderland are worse than Newcastle despite another derby clash was eye-opening
Newcastle United forward Anthony Gordon
Newcastle United forward Anthony Gordon(Image: ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images)
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Anthony Gordon has always been known as a good interviewee. Unlike many other Premier League footballers who are media trained up to their eyeballs, the Newcastle United forward isn't shy in coming forward with his personality and gives thoughtful, meaningful answers that aren't spat out from a book of football clichés.
That should be celebrated in a media sphere that has become all too robotic. We need to be careful not to discourage players being forthright and passionate about their opinions in the aftermath of matches.
But it was perhaps ill-advised to come out in the wake of Sunday's 2-1 Tyne-Wear derby defeat to Sunderland and suggest a team that has deservedly beaten Newcastle twice in derby fixtures this season are 'not very good compared to us'.
"It’s probably worse," Gordon told the club's in-house media channel when asked about Sunday's defeat compared to the one in December at the Stadium of Light.
"Both are just as bad but the way we lost the game, we went ahead 1-0, the way we were playing, I thought they were really poor. And then we let them into the game and basically gave them the win.
"The frustrating thing is, in my opinion, they’re not a very good team, compared to us. We shouldn't lose to them.
"Away is obviously more difficult because they have their fans and the atmosphere but at home we should not lose that game. Not with the first half that we had, but again we have not been good enough with the start to second halves and it’s an ongoing problem."
It repeated a claim from Bruno Guimaraes in an explosive interview with Chronicle Live in the mixed zone back in December after Newcastle were beaten 1-0 by Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
"Everyone came here and knew exactly what it meant for the fans," Guimaraes said.
"The whole message in the changing room today was do it for the fans and we didn't. It's so embarrassing for me and frustrating because we know we have a better team than them. It's clear for me.
"But we didn't perform like a better team today. It makes me feel angry. I have to be very worried about my words because I'm very angry with the performance."
Ironically, Guimaraes used his leadership column in the matchday programme on Sunday to suggest it was 'not the time for talking, it's time for action,' for Newcastle ahead of the first Tyne-Wear derby at St James' Park for 10 years.
That message is absolutely right but it wasn't exactly heeded by his team-mates on Sunday. For the second derby in a row, Sunderland's players wanted it more.
The effects of Newcastle's gruelling season certainly played a part but tiredness cannot be an excuse in a game that means so much to the club and its supporters.
If you are going to be bold enough to suggest you are a better team than your opponents, you better prove it on the pitch. Newcastle have had two opportunities to do so and have fumbled them on both occasions.
The reality is, Newcastle have underperformed in the Premier League this season. Despite all the mitigating circumstances, of which they are plenty and are well documented, it is simply unacceptable to be 12th in the Premier League with seven matches remaining.
European qualification is still within grasp but Newcastle need to be almost perfect in the end of season run-in. That requires actions, rather than words, to save their season.
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