(Credit: Imago / BBC Sport)

Keith Hackett

Mon 3 March 2025 12:13, UK

Newcastle star Anthony Gordon left referee Anthony Taylor with “no option” after a moment of madness, according to Keith Hackett.

The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that there was no VAR intervention and Taylor was confident in his decision to send off the Newcastle winger.

Michael Oliver was criticised for not immediately showing a red card to Liam Roberts for a flying kick in Crystal Palace‘s 3-1 win over Millwall the day before (Saturday 1 March), but Taylor had no hesitations, immediately brandishing the card following a scuffle between Newcastle and Brighton players.

Tariq Lamptey was also given his marching orders in the 91st minute, and Carlos Baleba was lucky to escape a red card in a feisty affair between the two sides.

Despite making the right decision for Gordon’s red card, Taylor was slammed after a late Newcastle goal was ruled out.

Anthony Taylor had no choice after moment of madness on Brighton’s Paul van Hecke

Gordon was sent off in the 82nd minute, with the scores tied at 1-1, after shoving Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke in the face, sending the Dutch defender tumbling to the ground.

Both Newcastle and Brighton players clashed, but Taylor seemed uninterested, immediately brandishing the red card and pointing out the former Everton man to give him his marching orders.

When asked by Football Insider, ex-PGMOL chief, Hackett, gave his expert opinion by saying:

“When you place your hand, or hands, into the face of the opponent with a degree of force, it really leaves the referee – in this case Anthony Taylor – little option other than to show a red card and dismiss the player from the field.

“There’s no clear and obvious error, there’s no VAR intervention on that one, Taylor had no option other than to dismiss him.”

Newcastle would go on to lose the match 2-1 in extra-time, thanks to a late goal from Danny Welbeck.

Eddie Howe without star for crucial Carabao Cup final vs Liverpool

Eddie Howe had previously threatened to bench Newcastle stars, ahead of their Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

The Magpies had been struggling in the Premier League, losing to Fulham and being demolished by Bournemouth and Man City.

However, the decision on whether or not to use Gordon has now been taken out of Howe’s hands, following the England international’s puzzling decision to shove Van Hecke.

Gordon was forced to watch from the side-lines when Newcastle lost to Man United 2-0 in the 2023 final, and will once again miss out on featuring.

If there was no hope of a VAR overrule in this situation there may be little expectation of a successful appeal.