FA rules confirm the only way Newcastle United can play Anthony Gordon in Carabao Cup final v Liverpool

Newcastle United faces a significant setback with the potential absence of Anthony Gordon for the Carabao Cup final, as his availability now hinges on a successful appeal against his red card.

If the appeal fails, his suspension will remain at three matches, leaving Newcastle without one of their key players. The situation brings back memories of last year’s Carabao Cup final, when Nick Pope missed out after receiving a red card against Liverpool in the Premier League.

Although his suspension was only for one match, it was enough to rule him out of the final against Manchester United, and Newcastle opted not to appeal the decision.

At the time, manager Eddie Howe admitted uncertainty over whether the club had valid grounds for an appeal, choosing not to challenge the decision.

However, his stance regarding Gordon’s situation appears more open, suggesting that Newcastle could take their case forward this time. Whether the appeal will succeed remains uncertain, but the club has a right to challenge the decision under FA regulations.

Gordon’s red card, issued for violent conduct, carries an automatic three-match ban, but the FA does allow appeals if a club can prove the referee made an obvious error.

The FA defines violent conduct as the use or attempted use of excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball. It also includes any deliberate strike to the head or face with the hand or arm, unless the force used is deemed negligible.

With Gordon’s case, referee Anthony Taylor deemed the incident worthy of a straight red, and VAR reviewed the decision without intervention, meaning officials saw no clear and obvious mistake.

This puts Newcastle in a difficult position, as their argument would need to prove that Gordon did not intend to strike Jan Paul van Hecke in the head or that his actions were part of an attempt to win the ball.

Another factor Newcastle could point to is that play had already stopped before the incident occurred, which may influence the review process. However, their chances of overturning the suspension remain slim, given the clear footage of the altercation and the referee’s firm decision.

Despite this, Newcastle still has the right to appeal under FA guidelines, which state that all red cards can be challenged except those issued for offensive or abusive language or for receiving a second caution in a match.

For the appeal to succeed, Newcastle must present compelling evidence that Taylor’s decision was a clear mistake. Given the circumstances, including VAR’s validation of the call, overturning the ban appears unlikely.

Yet, Newcastle may still push forward in hopes of giving Gordon a chance to feature in the crucial final. If the appeal is unsuccessful, they will have to navigate the upcoming fixtures without him, further complicating their pursuit of silverware.