Howe delivers bleak assessment on Gordon injury

Eddie Howe could not hide his concern after Anthony Gordon limped out of Newcastle's 3-2 defeat at Chelsea with a knee injury.

With 10 goals and five assists across all competitions, Gordon has been one of the Toon's most impressive performers this term and is being touted for an England call-up ahead of Euro 2024.

Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate was in attendance at Stamford Bridge as the winger was taken off after just 36 minutes.

And a downbeat Howe did not offer much positivity when asked about the 23-year-old's condition.

He said: "It was strange. There was no mechanism or moment when he felt it, it was just there in the game.

"According to Anthony at half-time, he was in quite a bit of pain. We don't quite know how bad that is yet.

"I think it was quite early in the game but there was no moment where he felt the injury, just a pain was there.

"So we sent someone over because he didn't look like he was moving right. And then eventually he succumbed to the injury.

"He's in a bit of pain but it's not looking too good. We'll wait and see.

"It was a huge moment to lose him, given what he has done this season. It was a psychological blow."

Alexander Isak cancelled out Nicolas Jackson's early strike just before half-time to send the two teams in level at the break.

But the Blues began to dominate proceedings in the second period and strikes from Cole Palmer and Mykhailo Mudryk sealed the three points, despite Jacob Murphy's spectacular consolation.

Howe, 46, accepted his side could have no complaints about a seventh loss in nine Premier League away outings — conceding 24 times in that run.

He added: "It's a similar feeling over the last few months on the road.

"We know with the quality of players to defend better than that. It was not a bad performance, just inconsistent at times.

"There's promise that we can hit the heights but we're not doing it enough."