Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon was lucky to escape a serious injury early on during Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup quarter final clash with Chelsea.
Eddie Howe’s side were knocked out of the competition on penalties at Stamford Bridge, but they really should have been playing against 10 men for the majority of the game.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo picked up an early booking for a challenge on Anthony Gordon from behind. The incident left the 22-year-old in a heap, with Jarred Gillett branding a yellow card to the Ecuador international.
However, replays showed that it was an absolute horror tackle. Caicedo rakes his studs down the back of Gordon’s leg, and he really should have been given a red card. Fortunately for the former Brighton man, he was spared a sending off as there was no VAR to review the incident.
If VAR was being used in the Carabao Cupquarter final, Caicedo’s yellow card surely would have been upgraded to a red card. That is the view of Gary Neville, who reacted to the challenge on his official X account.
Gary Neville thinks Moises Caicedo should have been sent off vs Newcastle
Following Caicedo’s terrible tackle on Gordon in the second minute, Neville took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his immediate reaction.
He posted a one word message, writing: “Red.”
Neville sums it up with just one word. It should have been a red. Caicedo was very lucky so early in the game.
Gordon was later forced off, with the attacker being substituted early in the second half to be replaced by Matt Ritchie. Whether it was because of Caicedo’s tackle remains to be seen.
Levi Colwill was also lucky against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup
There was also another incident in the first half that could have resulted in a Chelsea player being sent off.
Shortly before half time, Levi Colwill left his studs in on Emil Krafth’s shin after the Newcastle defender won the ball with a sliding tackle. The Swede was clearly in pain, with Colwill being the second Chelsea player who probably should have seen red during the Carabao Cup contest at Stamford Bridge.
Some big decisions did not go Newcastle’s way on Tuesday night, and it ended with the Magpies being knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties.
