Anthony Gordon's electric Champions League form bodes well for England's World Cup hopes as Newcastle winger battles Kylian Mbappe for European goal supremacy

Prior to Newcastle's solitary strike in their 4-1 loss at Liverpool on January 31, Gordon had gone over an entire year without an open-play goal in the Premier League. It's a far cry from the player he emerged as during his breakout 2023-24 season during which he scored 10 open-play goals and provided just as many assists in the league alone.

That said, Gordon has remained a pivotal part of Eddie Howe's attack. Part of that is due to their lack of prolific alternatives following last summer's sale of Alexander Isak, but he provides such a unique threat with his pace, energy and ability to play inside or down the wing that he is simply un-droppable anyway.

"I think perception can sometimes distort reality a little bit," Gordon said in January. "I think people's expectations of me have grown, and rightly so, and I'm completely fine with that. But I know I'm doing the right things every day. I try and do the right things, whether I'm flying or whether I'm not playing so well.

"I try and give my best and the result, sometimes, is kind of out of my hands. I'm always playing against right-backs who are elite themselves, so I know people expect a lot from me, but they're also quite good players and they get paid quite well to stop me."

Gordon's Premier League form is a world apart from that in the Champions League. Only Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid can boast a better goal return with 13. Part of that may be due to the increased competitive and physical nature of the Premier League (see also: Tottenham finishing fourth in the league phase), though Gordon's still outscoring the likes of Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

One trait also working in Gordon's favour is his hunger to keep scoring, even when the goals aren't coming domestically. After scoring his fourth against Qarabag courtesy of a penalty, he was spotted arguing with captain Kieran Trippier, who wanted to spread out the responsibility.

"I understand everyone's opinion because I want everyone to succeed," Gordon explained post-match. "We're a team, we should be in it together. But I'm an attacker, I'm the penalty taker, so I want to score as many goals as I possibly can. But I understood everyone's opinion and emotions do get high.

"Records are nice, but I just want to score and win games. Ultimately we've won the game convincingly, I'd say it was our best performance this season, that's more important than the goals."

Howe agreed after the game that this was actually a 'really big positive. "Moments like that get blown out of all proportion; it was a very minor issue," he claimed. "It was great from Anthony that he's got that strong enough resolve that he wants to score in every moment - and you'd want that from any player - so I've got no issue with him."

Even despite his lack of consistency in front of goal in the Premier League, Gordon continues to be linked with moves to higher-profile clubs. He remains on the radar of boyhood side Liverpool, following his failed move to them back in 2024 when Newcastle were in PSR trouble but eventually chose to sell Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson instead, while Arsenal have more recently been touted as a potential destination.

"It's the same old, same old. I haven't heard anything, they might want to tell me before they tell you (the media). I have gone through enough transfer stuff now to know that it is all a load of rubbish," Gordon responded last week. "I am focused on me and focused on the team, I am focused on right now. You look too far in the future and you start to underperform. And believe me I have done that (before) and I am not going to do that now."

Gordon's all-round threat has made him popular with England boss Thomas Tuchel, featuring heavily during the German's first year in charge of the Three Lions.

Speaking after Gordon scored the opener in a 5-0 win in Latvia in October, Tuchel said: "I think Anthony deserved to stay in the team. He is a direct player, I think this is his biggest strength, to go direct and go again and again. To have this repetition in his intensity. He just collects high intensity runs, he collects metres in sprints and this is so, so good.

"It's important that he knows his strengths and plays exactly into his strengths. Now we play a high-press and he's important against the ball. He was clinical today with the first goal that calmed our nerves and set the tone and set the game in the right direction. So, well played again. Another good performance from him."

There aren't too many alternatives to Gordon on England's left flank. His most prominent rival for the position is Marcus Rashford, who is enjoying a fine season on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United. However, as Tuchel referenced, Gordon is superior when it comes to flying at full tilt.

At Euro 2024, there was a strong clamour from England fans to see Gordon due to Phil Foden's ineffectiveness on the left, with the Manchester City star at risk of losing his place in the squad altogether heading into this year's World Cup. Morgan Rogers, though often used out wide for Aston Villa, has been utilised as a No.10 by Tuchel, with Jude Bellingham facing a battle for his place.

Arsenal duo Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke can both play on Gordon's preferred side, though are more comfortable in other positions, while Gordon's Newcastle team-mate Harvey Barnes has only been capped once - all the way back in 2020 - and until last month was being linked with a switch of national teams to Scotland, such has been his lack of success trying to get back into the England picture.

International football is more about teams playing with familiarity and cohesion rather than who has the most superstars. With Tuchel in his corner, this should bode well for Gordon's World Cup hopes.

Gordon's Premier League stats haven't been to the detriment of his national team chances, though it would probably still help if he could score more domestically before the World Cup and find that rhythm against top opposition again. Even then, not every team the Three Lions face will play with the same vigour as those in the English top-flight.

His Champions League form has proven a strong reminder of the quality he possesses. There's another chance for Gordon to run up his numbers and confidence this week with the return fixture against Qarabag, and it's not inconceivable that he makes a push alongside Mbappe for the competition's Golden Boot. England, meanwhile, should only benefit from that big-game pedigree.

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