England Star Anthony Gordon Pulls Out of Tuchel’s Squad Ahead of Latvia Clash Due to Injury
Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon has been forced to withdraw from the England national team squad led by manager Thomas Tuchel. This setback comes just before their highly anticipated World Cup qualifier match against Latvia on Monday.
The Three Lions are riding high after a successful start under new boss Tuchel. In his debut game on Friday, England secured a 2-0 victory over Albania. Goals from debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly and captain Harry Kane sealed the win, marking a positive beginning for Tuchel’s era as England manager.
England will be aiming to continue their winning streak and secure maximum points in their second match of this international break as they prepare to face Latvia in a crucial World Cup qualifier. However, they will have to do so without Anthony Gordon.
Hip Injury Sidelines Anthony Gordon for England vs Latvia World Cup Qualifier
Unfortunately for England and Gordon himself, the talented winger sustained a hip injury during the closing moments of the victory against Albania. This injury has ruled him out of contention for the upcoming Latvia game.
The Football Association (FA) confirmed Gordon’s withdrawal in a statement released on Sunday. The statement read: “Anthony Gordon has withdrawn from Three Lions camp having sustained an injury during Friday night’s 2-0 win over Albania. The forward has returned to Newcastle United for further assessment.”
Reports indicate that Gordon went down near the touchline towards the end of the Albania match and received immediate treatment from the national team’s medical staff before being seen limping towards the tunnel.
Speaking about Gordon’s injury in the post-match press conference after the Albania game, Thomas Tuchel shared his concerns. “He looks injured,” Tuchel stated. “First of all I thought it was his stomach but it’s his hip and it does not look good.”
In the Albania match, Gordon and Jarrod Bowen were introduced as substitutes, replacing Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden for the final 20 minutes of play. Tuchel later admitted that he was not entirely satisfied with the performance of his starting wingers in that game.
When questioned about Phil Foden’s performance, who appeared less effective on the right flank, Tuchel acknowledged to ITV, “We will encourage him to do what he does best, to go at defenders, to go into dribblings.”
Tuchel further commented on the overall winger performance, saying, “Both our wingers who started were not as impactful as normally they can be in club football. I’m not so sure why we struggled to bring the ball quickly to them, I need to review the match.”
He also highlighted areas for improvement in England’s attacking play: “We lacked a little bit runs off the ball. so it was a little bit too much passing, not enough dribbling, not enough carrying the ball and driving with the ball. Not aggressive enough towards goal. They trained very well, they were decisive in training. That’s why I also think they deserved [to start], they were very good in the last weeks with their clubs. We will keep on encouraging them and make sure to create a structure where they can show their potential.”
- Key Takeaways:
- England’s Anthony Gordon withdraws from squad due to hip injury.
- Injury sustained during 2-0 victory against Albania.
- Gordon out of World Cup qualifier against Latvia.
- Myles Lewis-Skelly and Harry Kane scored in the Albania match.
- Tuchel expresses concern about Gordon’s injury and winger performances.
What are your thoughts on Anthony Gordon’s injury and how it might impact England’s game against Latvia? Share your predictions in the comments below!