Anthony Gordon to miss Carabao Cup final after Newcastle decide against appeal

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Anthony Gordon will miss the Carabao Cup final after Newcastle elected not to appeal his red card against Brighton.

The forward was dismissed late on in the FA Cup fifth round tie after lashing out at visiting defender Jan Paul van Hecke, striking him with two hands in the back of the head.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe suggested after the extra-time defeat that his side may consider appealing the sanction, believing that Gordon did not mean to harm Van Hecke, but the club have now decided not to challenge a three-match ban.

“Knowing the player, I know there’s no malice intended there,” Howe said. “He plays hard – I want him to play hard, I want him to be competitive, but I don’t see an issue there at this moment.

“I think it would be very out of context with how he is generally, maybe a bit of frustration in the game that things weren’t going our way, but I’d say that’s not a common sight for me when Anthony plays.”

It means that the 24-year-old will miss the meeting with Liverpool at Wembley on Sunday 16 March in a significant blow as the Tynesiders look to end their long drought without a major trophy.

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Gordon will also miss Premier League games against West Ham and Brentford as the Magpies chase a Champions League place.

Howe spoke after reaching the Carabao Cup decider of his hope that Newcastle could end a 70-year wait for silverware since the 1955 FA Cup final, but the manager has suffered another significant blow with Lewis Hall ruled out for the rest of the season.

The versatile Hall has suffered a foot injury, forcing Howe into a rethink on one flank with both his preferred left-back and left winger missing out.

“Lewis Hall will miss the rest of the 2024/25 season after sustaining an injury to a bone in his foot,” Newcastle confirmed on Wednesday. “Following a scan and advice from a specialist, Lewis will undergo surgery before a period of rehabilitation with the club’s medical team.”