Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has confirmed that forward Anthony Gordon was left on the bench for the second consecutive week as he focuses on “the future.”
The England international has attracted formal interest from Bayern Munich. Gordon missed defeats to Arsenal and Bournemouth in April due to a minor hip flexor issue but was fit enough to be named among the substitutes for subsequent matches against Brighton and Nottingham Forest. Despite this, Howe did not bring on the club’s top scorer in either game.
“It was tactical,” Howe told BBC Radio Newcastle after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at the City Ground, referring to Gordon’s latest omission. “The team has performed well in Anthony’s absence. We opted for more solidity with Joelinton playing wide and one winger on the other side to strengthen defensively, as we were unhappy with our defending. Since January, we’ve been disappointed, so we changed the structure. Ant has returned to fitness and is training well, but I’m also looking at the future.”
Howe’s team selection also reflected forward planning, as he chose not to start Kieran Trippier, who will leave the club at the end of the season. This decision came despite Trippier being the only fit recognized right-back following injuries to Lewis Miley and Tino Livramento. As a result, left-back Lewis Hall filled in on the opposite side before Trippier replaced captain Bruno Guimaraes in injury time.
“We have one eye on the future,” Howe added after former midfielder Elliot Anderson cancelled out Harvey Barnes’ opener for Newcastle. “That’s been clear with some of my team decisions because we want to see certain players and how they grow into the team. Jacob Ramsey was magnificent when he came on, and Harvey also made a big difference. It’s great to see players stepping up and seizing their opportunities. It’s our duty to look ahead and see what the new team will look like next year.”
