Eddie Howe admits Newcastle United concern over Anthony Gordon ahead of Burnley & West Ham games

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe admits it is a concern that Anthony Gordon is just one yellow card away from serving a one-match ban.

The former Everton winger has been one of the Magpies’ standout performers so far this campaign and put in a career-best performance with a goal and assist during yesterday’s record-breaking 8-0 Premier League win at Sheffield United.

Given Gordon’s majestic display, it’s easy to forget that he didn’t actually start the game. Summer signing Harvey Barnes was handed his second United start but withdrew just 11 minutes in because of a toe injury.

Howe admitted after the match “it didn’t look too good” for Barnes, which makes it even more imperative that Gordon remains available at least until the former Leicester City star is back.

“Of course it’s a concern, yeah,” said Howe when asked about Gordon’s disciplinary situation. “Injuries in one position will hurt us this year. We’ve been missing two midfielders and that’s been a concern for us. Losing Harvey won’t be something we’ll take lightly.

“The suspensions are something we’re going to have to live with to a degree with the new rules that are coming in. A couple of Anthony’s bookings have been very harsh. That’s the territory we’re in but that’s why we have the squad that we have to cover anyone’s absence.”

Newcastle host Manchester City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night but Gordon can’t be banned for Saturday afternoon’s league clash at home to Burnley as bookings don’t carry over.

That means 22-year-old will likely start against the Clarets but faces the challenge of avoiding a fifth yellow card of the campaign that would rule him out of the visit to West Ham United a week later.

That said, it appears to be a matter of time before Gordon is suspended with the winger now needing to go 15 games without being cautioned. Reaching five cautions before matchday 20 - which is currently away to Liverpool on December 30 - results in an automatic one-match suspension.

Also walking a bit of a tightrope is Bruno Guimaraes with the Brazilian going in the book three times already this term. Behind him is Sandro Tonali (2), Joelinton (1), Sven Botman (1), Dan Burn (1), Fabian Schar (1), Matt Targett (1), Kieran Trippier (1) and Callum Wilson (1).