Anthony Gordon has apologised to Newcastle United supporters following Sunday’s derby defeat to Sunderland, where a Nick Woltemade own goal proved decisive in the opening Wear–Tyne clash of the campaign.
The breakthrough came shortly after the interval when Woltemade turned the ball into his own net on a frustrating afternoon for the Magpies’ record goalscorer. The German forward was largely isolated, failed to trouble Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs and was eventually replaced by Yoane Wissa.
Woltemade started alongside Gordon and Anthony Elanga, but the front three struggled to influence proceedings and were later reshuffled by Eddie Howe, who introduced Wissa, Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy in search of a response. Post-match ratings reflected Newcastle’s attacking issues, with Elanga scoring just 2 out of 10 from the Shields Gazette, while Gordon and Woltemade received similarly low marks.
Gordon took to Instagram after the match to address fans directly, admitting his own shortcomings. “Totally underperformed today in a game that would have meant so much to everyone,” he wrote. “We can only apologise, reset and try to make it right on Wednesday.”
The loss will hurt, but it also highlighted an ongoing concern for Newcastle this season. Their form away from home has been a major problem, with just one league win on the road and four matches without scoring. With trips and fixtures against Manchester United and Burnley still to come before the end of December, improving those performances will be vital if they want to finish the year strongly.
Howe echoed Gordon’s sentiments after the final whistle, offering his own apology to supporters. “We’re really disappointed for our fans and sorry for the performance,” he said. “We lacked cutting edge and didn’t show the attacking quality we usually pride ourselves on. It wasn’t there today.”
Newcastle now turn their attention to the Carabao Cup, hosting Fulham on Wednesday night as they look to extend their run of four consecutive quarter-final appearances. They then return to league action at St James’ Park against Chelsea, who currently sit fourth and hold a six-point advantage over the Magpies in the table.