Gordon's Frustration Boils Over After Newcastle's Derby Defeat
Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has delivered a scathing assessment of his team's performance following their 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Sunderland in Sunday's Tyne-Wear derby. The loss at St James' Park marked Newcastle's second defeat to Sunderland this season, compounding a difficult week that included their Champions League exit.
'Not a Very Good Team' - Gordon's Blunt Assessment
In a remarkably candid interview with Newcastle's club media, Gordon did not mince his words about the opposition. 'The frustrating thing is, in my opinion, they're not a very good team compared to us,' Gordon stated. 'We shouldn't lose to them. Away is obviously more difficult because they have the fans, the atmosphere and a bit more pressure, but at home we should not lose that game.'
The England international had initially put Newcastle ahead after capitalising on a Sunderland error in the first half, but the visitors fought back after the break. Chemsdine Talbi equalised before Brian Brobbey secured a dramatic 90th-minute winner, completing Sunderland's derby double over their rivals this season.
Recurring Second-Half Problems Exposed
Gordon highlighted what he sees as a persistent issue for Eddie Howe's side this campaign. 'We were good for 45 minutes, which has been the case too often this season,' he explained. 'We actually knew going into the game and had been trying to work on it. Not good enough to start the second half and they were the better team second half.'
The winger expressed particular disappointment with how Newcastle surrendered their advantage. '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.'
Howe Faces Mounting Pressure
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe acknowledged the mounting criticism after what has been a challenging period for his team. The derby defeat represented Newcastle's 13th Premier League loss of the season, coming just days after their 7-2 Champions League exit against Barcelona.
'My first thought as the leader of everything is to front it up,' Howe stated. 'Absorb it, act how I would normally act in all moments and I think that's really important for me. I understand the criticism, expect it and have got no issue with it.'
Shearer's 'Worrying' Verdict
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer offered a damning assessment of the performance on the Rest is Football podcast. 'Sunderland wanted it more than Newcastle in the second half and that is pretty damning,' Shearer remarked. 'Eddie got it all wrong in that game. He couldn't lift his players in the second half and that is really worrying and disappointing.'
The former England striker predicted a difficult period ahead for Howe and his squad. 'It's going to be a long two or three weeks for Newcastle now, the international break, because people will be hurt, people will be angry and there'll be so much s*** thrown at Eddie and Newcastle now. He has to cope with that and understand that, as do the people that are running the club.'
League Position and Looking Ahead
The defeat leaves Newcastle one point behind 12th-placed Sunderland in the Premier League table, with both teams now entering the international break. Newcastle will have time to reflect on their struggles before returning to action on 12 April with an away fixture against Crystal Palace.
Gordon concluded his assessment with a frank admission: 'Our performance was not good enough really. No excuses.' His comments reflect the growing frustration within the Newcastle camp as they seek to address their inconsistent form and disappointing results against their fiercest rivals.
