Anthony Gordon Calls Out Wayne Rooney in Explosive Post-Match Interview – He’s Fuming
Anthony Gordon has fired back at Wayne Rooney and other pundits who suggested that he didn’t want to play in Newcastle United’s Champions League clash against Barcelona in midweek.
Gordon was left out of Newcastle’s starting line-up by manager Eddie Howe after missing Tuesday morning’s training session through illness. However, the England international was still named among the substitutes and came on midway through the second half in place of William Osula.
Newcastle were on course to secure a famous 1-0 victory over the Catalan giants in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash at St James’ Park, but Lamine Yamal broke Geordie hearts with a last-gasp equaliser from the penalty spot.
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer, reacting to Gordon’s failure to make the starting line-up, said on Amazon Prime: “I know he doesn’t feel well, but this is Barcelona at Newcastle for a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. It would take something extraordinary to keep myself out of this game tonight.”
While Rooney added: “If you’re ill, you’re ill. You shouldn’t be there. He walked past us before the game and wouldn’t shake our hands. He said he didn’t want us to catch anything, but then he’s going into the dressing room with his teammates.”
Gordon Fires Back at Rooney
Anthony Gordon
Speaking after scoring the only goal of the game in Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday, Gordon hit back at Rooney’s comments during his post-match interview with BBC Sport, describing them as “complete and utter stupidity”.
“When I got to the stadium the manager told me I wasn’t playing, which I didn’t like very much, but that’s his decision and the team played great,” the winger said. “Saying I didn’t want to play in the biggest game of my career is absolute nonsense”. He added:
“I think Rooney said I went past and didn’t shake their hands and went into the changing room. I didn’t. I got changed by myself in a changing room the size of this. It was just me and a sink. Complete nonsense. I think they need to do better at what they are doing.”
Gordon says he would have started the match, despite spending three days in bed through illness, but the decision was taken out of his hands by Howe.
Now back to full fitness, Gordon will be desperate to start when Newcastle take on Barcelona at Camp Nou on Wednesday for a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.