On Sunday, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes worked together to save a point for Newcastle United against Bournemouth.
At the Vitality Stadium, Barnes came off the bench to superbly set up Gordon for an equalizer in the 76th minute, canceling out Marcus Tavernier’s first goal. It was an uncommon occurrence for both Barnes and Gordon to be on the Newcastle team, since they typically battle for the same left flank position.
There have been numerous requests for Newcastle to bolster their right wing, where Eddie Howe presently has options in Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy. However, on Sunday, Murphy was withdrawn and Barnes was brought on as a left winger, replacing Gordon on the right.
The 4-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in April marked Howe’s debut use of a front three with Barnes on the left, Gordon on the right, and Alexander Isak in the middle. It was possibly one of Newcastle’s best offensive outings of the year, and Spurs are the Premier League’s next opponents at St. James’ Park.
Howe selected the same front three for the subsequent game against Crystal Palace following the 4-0 victory over Spurs. It hasn’t been in Newcastle’s starting lineup since Selhurst Park’s 2-0 loss.
However, if Newcastle wants to reinforce on the right wing without having to bring in a new player, they may play Gordon on the right and Barnes on the left. However, Howe downplayed the idea a little bit.
Regarding his choice of Gordon, Barnes, and Isak as his front three, Howe remarked, “I think the balance has to be right.” Naturally, you want the players to feel at ease so they can perform at their best, and it’s my responsibility to create that atmosphere for them.It goes without saying that we will evaluate everything and make the best choices for the squad, but there is no denying any player’s abilities. Harvey’s influence was evident against Bournemouth; we needed his directness and crossing skills at that point in the match.
On Wednesday night, Newcastle will travel to Nottingham Forest to play in the Carabao Cup before hosting Spurs in the Premier League.
