Newcastle's Gordon in Contention for Chelsea EFL Cup Tie: Scans Show No Severe Groin Damage, Says Howe

Newcastle United's manager Eddie Howe has indicated that Anthony Gordon might participate in their upcoming EFL Cup match against Chelsea on Wednesday. Gordon was absent from the recent match at Stamford Bridge due to a groin injury sustained prior to the game, but subsequent scans have shown no severe damage.

Eddie Howe has confirmed the possibility of Anthony Gordon's involvement in the EFL Cup match against Chelsea on Wednesday. Gordon was unable to join the team at Stamford Bridge on Sunday due to a groin injury sustained before the match, but scans have shown that there is no significant injury. Howe expressed optimism that Gordon's injury will not have a long-term impact, but emphasized the importance of making the correct decision regarding his participation in the midweek game, considering Arsenal is their next Premier League opponent. Gordon's absence was felt in the match against Chelsea, where Newcastle United suffered a 2-1 loss with goals from Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer, sandwiching Alexander Isak's equalizer. "We need to make the correct decision for tomorrow's Chelsea match. Arsenal is coming up quickly on Saturday, and we must ensure we do not cause any harm," Howe stated. The English international Gordon has been a key figure for the Magpies this season, creating more chances (18) than any other player in the Premier League, with only Bruno Guimaraes (14) completing more dribbles than Gordon (13). Howe also commended Chelsea's Cole Palmer, who was instrumental in Enzo Maresca's side's victory on Sunday. Palmer has maintained his goal-scoring form following his impressive debut season with the Blues, contributing to a league-high 12 goal involvements (seven goals, five assists) this season, including his goal against the Magpies. The 22-year-old has scored two goals and provided one assist against Newcastle in five matches across all competitions, and Howe highlighted the need to contain Palmer when they face Chelsea again in the midweek game. "It's a tough question to answer, but I thought he played exceptionally well. His performance was evident," Howe added. "We didn't manage to stop him during transitions. He set up the first goal and scored the second in similar fashion. We've learned from this experience. "We will convey this to the players and aim for improvement. As a team, we will strive to perform better collectively. "In the last 60 minutes, our defense was much more secure, even though we conceded a second goal."