Eddie Howe tracks Gordon fitness ahead of Newcastle Vs Brighton
Eddie Howe will assess Anthony Gordon closer to Saturday's newcastle vs brighton match at St. James' Park. Newcastle United want to end four successive league defeats, and the winger's availability could shape how they approach the 3pm BST kick-off.
Howe and Gordon at St. James' Park
Howe said Gordon did part of a session on Wednesday and stressed that the forward remains a major absence when he is unavailable. The Newcastle head coach said, "He did part of a session on Wednesday. It was great to see him back on the pitch. He's a player of huge quality and one that we've missed."
He added, "We'll make an assessment on his fitness closer to the game and see what he gets through today." Gordon missed Newcastle's league matches against AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal because of injury, so the final call comes after a spell out that has already covered two league games.
Joelinton Returns For Newcastle
Joelinton is available for selection after serving a two-match suspension. That gives Howe one more option in a side trying to recover at the right end of the season, with Newcastle in their penultimate home fixture of the 2025/26 campaign.
Howe pointed to the Arsenal display as the standard he wants repeated, saying, "We need to keep the level of performance where it was against Arsenal. The team looked good, it looked confident, it defended well. I think it was a big upturn." He also said the home form has not been strong enough and that there is "a lot riding on this weekend" for Newcastle.
Brighton At St. James' Park
The matchup carries extra weight because Newcastle have had some tough defeats against Brighton recently. Howe also said he changed the backline last week because Newcastle had not kept enough clean sheets, while Lewis' position was altered and the team got a positive response against Arsenal.
Yoane's only issue has been the injury he suffered in September, and Joey remains "a massive part" of what Newcastle do. For Newcastle, the immediate task is simple: get Gordon through the final fitness check, use Joelinton if needed, and try to turn a poor league run around at home.
