Anthony Gordon did not start on his return to Merseyside, and he barely touched the ball during his late cameo, but the Newcastle United forward still walked out of the Hill Dickinson Stadium with the last laugh.
The night may have belonged to Everton on paper, yet the atmosphere at full-time told a very different story for the former Goodison Park talent who left the club in a £45 million move that remains a sore point for many on the blue side of the city.
Back from a hip injury but not yet ready for a full 90 minutes, Gordon watched most of the match from the bench after Eddie Howe opted to rotate his squad in a busy period. Harvey Barnes, in excellent form, was given the nod on the left.
Even so, many Everton supporters made it clear they were ready for Gordon’s return long before he stepped onto the pitch. They had waited three years for this moment, and his links to boyhood club Liverpool have not helped soften their frustration.
But when the game ended and the stadium had mostly emptied, a small group of fans waited outside the players’ exit, hoping to get a reaction from the winger. With TV cameras already packed away, Gordon walked out calmly, meeting a mix of jeers, shouts, and even a few friendly voices from Everton locals.
Instead of reacting, he simply smiled, lifted a hand, and offered a casual wave before heading on his way. The moment was brief, but it summed up the mood perfectly nothing the home supporters did could wipe the grin off his face.
Inside the stadium, the tone had been very different. With most Everton fans gone by the final whistle, the loudest noise came from the 3,000 travelling Newcastle supporters who made the night feel like a Toon celebration. Gordon may have had just one touch of the ball, but the reception he received was enormous.
His name echoed around the ground, proof that he is firmly adored on Tyneside. For a player who had once missed a penalty at Everton and endured heavy jeers there last season, this must have felt like the sweetest kind of payback.
The victory itself was just as important. It was Newcastle’s first Premier League away win of the season and their first league win on the road since April. Their away form had threatened to drag down their campaign, especially with their home performances being so strong.
But from the moment Malick Thiaw headed in the opener after only 52 seconds, Newcastle looked completely in control. They moved the ball with confidence, pressed aggressively, and never looked as though they would let the game slip away. Lewis Miley and Nick Woltemade added two more goals before Thiaw struck again in the second half to seal a comfortable 4–1 win.
Eddie Howe has always maintained a steady tone regardless of victory or defeat, and once again he stayed calm in his assessment. Still, his pride in the group was clear. He admitted how much the players needed this win and how it finally released the growing pressure surrounding their form away from home.
His team played with freshness, energy, and a level of sharpness that had been missing on the road. Newcastle fans celebrated long after the whistle, and the players stayed on the pitch soaking it all in, enjoying a moment they had waited far too long to experience.
The win also extended another positive run. For the first time this season, Newcastle achieved back-to-back Premier League victories, something they had not managed since last April when they defeated Manchester United and then Crystal Palace. The timing could not be better, with a demanding schedule looming.
Nick Woltemade’s story continues to brighten, too. The German forward arrived from Stuttgart for £69 million and brought with him scrutiny from home, where many questioned whether he could justify such a price tag.
But he is answering every doubt with his performances. His goal against Everton was his seventh for Newcastle this season and his ninth for club and country.
His Premier League total of five goals, combined with a shooting accuracy of 42%, is even more impressive when considering the club’s own admission that the service into him has not been as consistent as they hoped. If Yoane Wissa finds form once fully fit, Newcastle’s attack could reach an even higher level.
After the match, Woltemade spoke about adapting to life at Newcastle and expressed how easy it has been for him thanks to the support of the squad and the fans. He knows he can still improve, but he is scoring goals, and that is all a striker needs to feel at home.
In the end, Gordon’s night was about more than football. It was about walking back into a place that once defined him, hearing the jeers he expected, and leaving with a smile that no one could take away.
Newcastle got the win. Their star winger got closure. And the journey back to the top half of the Premier League table continues with renewed belief.
