Newcastle United icon Alan Shearer has shared his opinion on whether Anthony Gordon’s red card against Liverpool on Monday was justified.
Before the highly awaited match, both fans and referee Simon Hooper likely expected a heated encounter at St James’ Park between Liverpool and Newcastle.
True to expectations, the tackles were notably intense. Additionally, Liverpool’s interest in Alexander Isak was a major talking point.
Earlier this month, the Reds made a £110 million-plus add-ons offer for the Swedish striker, which Newcastle rejected.
Isak was left out of Eddie Howe’s lineup for the game, with Anthony Gordon starting up front alongside Harvey Barnes and new signing Anthony Elanga.
Gordon’s night, however, ended just after the first half when he was shown a red card for a challenge on Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
Referee Hooper initially gave Gordon a yellow card but upgraded it to a red after checking the pitch-side VAR screen.
The decision sparked anger among the home supporters, but what was Shearer’s view?
He quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) after the incident and clearly sided with the referee.
Shearer commented: “What a reckless challenge. It’s definitely a red card.”
Thierry Henry, working alongside Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, shared the same opinion.
Henry said: “Right when it happened, I thought it was a red. Why put yourself in that position? Gordon got carried away but the decision is clear.”
Carragher also gave his perspective.
“Sometimes you have to use your head,” the former Liverpool defender noted. “Newcastle went too far, and it might cost them.”
Former winger Theo Walcott, appearing on BBC’s Monday Night Club, agreed.
Walcott said: “It’s a striker’s tackle done with the wrong leg. He was too fired up and not thinking. It always looks worse on replay, but Van Dijk wouldn’t have gone down if he wasn’t hurt. For me, it’s a red card.”
Gordon is expected to serve a three-match suspension, missing Newcastle’s upcoming games against Leeds United, Wolves, and Bournemouth, before potentially returning for the match versus Arsenal on September 28.
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