Anthony Gordon: Time for Newcastle forward to deliver in Premier League

Gordon has so often been a big-game performer for Newcastle.

The England forward became only the second player, alongside Leicester City hero Jamie Vardy, to score against Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United in a single Premier League campaign a couple of seasons ago.

Five of the nine goals he netted for Newcastle in all competitions last year came against Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.

Perhaps it is not a surprise that he has relished life back in the Champions League.

Gordon ranks joint first for combined goals and assists (five), joint third for goals (four) and big chance total (six), and tied for fourth for fouls won (eight) among all players in that competition.

From a small sample size, which includes two penalties against Union Saint-Gilloise, his shot conversion rate (50%) and xG (2.73) have been higher in the Champions League than in the Premier League this season.

On the other hand, according to Opta, Gordon has created significantly more chances in the top-flight (five), completed more dribbles (10), won more fouls (nine), taken more shots (13) and had more touches in the opposition box (18).

But he has yet to find the back of the net or register an assist – despite lining up in two additional games in the Premier League.

The England forward is self-aware enough to joke that it would help to play with the Champions League ball domestically.

The same could be said for one or two of his team-mates.

Newcastle may have scored eight goals in Europe this season, but only the bottom three teams in the Premier League have managed fewer than the Magpies’ seven goals in eight games in the top flight.

Why is this the case? It’s perplexing to many.

“I haven’t got an answer for that – I wish I did,” Gordon said. “I’ve just got to take it game by game, approach every game the same. I don’t know what’s different.”