Liverpool’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park had no shortage of controversy, with Anthony Gordon’s red card becoming one of the game’s biggest talking points.
The Reds, despite being second-best for large parts of the match, found themselves two goals ahead before Newcastle clawed back into it. Then came the turning point — Gordon’s reckless lunge on Virgil van Dijk, which left visible stud marks on the Dutchman’s calf.
While pundits like Alan Shearer slammed the challenge, Van Dijk himself gave a more surprising take after the match.
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🗣️ Van Dijk’s Reaction
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Liverpool captain admitted he was shocked by the referee’s decision to upgrade Gordon’s yellow card to a straight red after a VAR check.
“I told him, if that’s not a sending off, then I don’t know what is. Honestly, I was surprised it even needed a second look. These things happen in football — whether he meant it or not, it happened, and we just move on.”
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âš˝ Thierry Henry Weighs In
Club legend Thierry Henry, on punditry duty, offered a different perspective. He suggested that during his playing days such a challenge might have only been punished with a yellow, but under today’s rules there could be no complaints.
“In our era, maybe it’s just a foul. But now? It’s a red all day. I just don’t understand why Gordon put himself in that position. It was always a stretch, he wasn’t going to get the ball, and he let emotions get the better of him.”
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🚨 What It Means for Gordon
The straight red means Gordon will serve a suspension and miss at least three matches — including key fixtures against Leeds, Bournemouth, and Wolves. His absence is an even bigger blow for Newcastle with striker Alexander Isak already out amid ongoing transfer speculation.
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