Newcastle fans call out ‘inconsistency’ after Anthony Gordon’s red card for a challenge Van Dijk often escapes.
Anthony Gordon’s hopes of playing in the Carabao Cup final have been shattered after the Newcastle United forward received a straight red card in Sunday’s clash against Brighton. The winger, who lashed out at Jan Paul van Hecke, now faces a three-match ban unless an appeal overturns the decision.
While few Newcastle fans defended Gordon’s actions, outrage quickly spread online as supporters compared his dismissal to similar challenges from Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk—challenges they claim repeatedly go unpunished.
Social media erupted with fury, with one fan posting: “Gordon was stupid, and I see why the red was given, but that was never a sending-off. Van Dijk does that every week and gets away with it.” Another fumed: “Gordon gets a straight red for something Van Dijk does every single game. Make it make sense.”
Newcastle supporters were particularly incensed by footage resurfacing from December’s 3-3 draw against Liverpool, where Van Dijk appeared to shoulder-barge Gordon to the ground after the winger was denied in a one-on-one against Caoimhin Kelleher. On that occasion, neither the referee nor VAR took action, a decision that now seems even more controversial in light of Gordon’s suspension.
The frustration comes at a crucial time for Newcastle. Gordon will miss Premier League fixtures against West Ham and Brentford, but most significantly, he is now set to be absent for the Carabao Cup final—against none other than Van Dijk’s Liverpool.
Manager Eddie Howe remained cautious when asked about the decision, stating: “We’ll have to review it properly before deciding on an appeal.” But behind the scenes, Newcastle are believed to be weighing up whether to challenge the ruling.
With inconsistency in refereeing decisions again in the spotlight, Newcastle fans will be watching closely to see if the FA upholds Gordon’s ban—or whether their complaints of ‘one rule for Newcastle, another for Liverpool’ hold any weight.
