Anthony Gordon may have been shuffled across the front three for Newcastle United this season but the left winger looks poised to nail down that particular, favoured, role for England after Lee Carsley’s latest comments.
Gordon is a favourite of the interim Three Lions boss following their under-21 success together and that trust has only grown in recent months with the 24-year-old starting Carsley’s first two games in charge of the senior side. This, after a summer of frustration under predecessor Gareth Southgate.
Gordon has kept his spot in the England squad for upcoming clashes with Greece and Finland, with Carsley now focusing on how he manages to fit £120m worth of central attacking talent, in Manchester City’s Phil Foden, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, into his side together. The boss’ latest comments suggest the spot on the left is now Gordon’s to keep, should he continue his fine form.
“With the period of the season we are in, I can justify why we wouldn’t start them [Foden, Palmer and Bellingham] all at the same time in terms of the amount of games they’re playing, what they are going back to and what they have come from,’” said Carsley this week. “Some of the stages they are at in terms of just coming back from injury or not having that many minutes, we just need to find the balance.
“What’s important is we get them all on the pitch at some point and find the balance. I went to a UEFA conference a couple of weeks ago, and a lot of the head coaches spoke about how many good players we’ve got, but they almost referred to it as a problem whereas I am thinking it’s a nice problem to have. It might mean now and then one of them misses out.”
Pressed further on starting all three together in the future, Carsley added: “You’d try and find a way of getting them into the team, yes. We’ve got to be creative.”
Gordon started against Ireland and Finland last month as his summer struggles were officially put behind him. The Newcastle flyer has transferred his international form back to club level, raising his game in black and white in recent weeks.
“On a really dry sticky pitch, it’s not ideal for dribblers but I thought Anthony [Gordon] was a real threat,” Carsley told reporters after the win over Ireland. “He’s carried on his form from last season and he looks a really dangerous player.”