NEWCASTLE 5-1 ASTON VILLA: The Magpies ran riot at St James’ Park as an Anthony Gordon-inspired performance saw them thrash Unai Emery’s ambitious and well-fancied side
With the peroxide hairdo and spindly frame, Anthony Gordon cuts something of a throwback figure.
And on more than one occasion in his short career, it seemed the 22-year-old scouser might have a throwback attitude. When he was hooked by Eddie Howe in the dying embers of a 2-1 win at Brentford back in April, Gordon threw a strop, petulantly brushing his manager aside.
Considering he had only been with Newcastle for three months – and had failed to register a goal or an assist in that time – it took a bit of nerve and cheek to start getting shirty with the manager who had, presumably, sanctioned a spend of £45million on a distinctly raw talent.
The incident certainly did not endear him to his new set of supporters but Gordon already knew what it was like to get the odd pelter from his own fans. In the final throes of his time at Goodison Park, Gordon was chased down a road outside the grand old stadium by punters shouting obscenities at him.