Newcastle United provide official update to Anthony Gordon injury scare rumour
Eddie Howe has confirmed Anthony Gordon will be fit and firing for Newcastle United on Monday.
The winger appeared to take a knock in the 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest. There were doubts about whether he may pull out from the England squad but Gordon featured in the wins over Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
Lee Carsley - who mentored Gordon to Euro success as under-21s manager - brought the 23-year-old off in the latter fixture to trigger further doubt about his fitness. However, speaking to reporters ahead of the clash against West Ham United, Howe insisted Gordon is fit to downplay the injury rumours.
"No, he's fine,” he said. “As far as I know, he trained for England pretty much straight away and played both games, so I think he's 100 per cent fit."
The Toon boss also anticipated a “difficult” game when the Hammers travel to Tyneside. Last season’s fissure saw Newcastle trail 3-1 before completing a stunning 4-3 comeback win in the dying embers.
“They're always difficult games against West Ham and they always have been for us historically,” Howe added. “I think they're a team full of very good players. Again going back to their recruitment in the summer, they recruited well, they've got a good squad, they've got some really dangerous players, especially in the front line.
“(It is) obviously interesting watching Jarrod Bowen, recently scoring for England and is always a goal threat. They’ve got some attacking players that, as I say, we respect and we have to do well to get our structures right to try and keep them quiet.”