A test of courage and determination for Anthony Gordon and Liverpool?

The speculation about Anthony Gordon, perpetuated and continually promoted by the racist media, will not go away.

It pains me to even think of Gordon racking up points at the most condescending club in Britain.

Of course, Flash is from Merseyside and was on Liverpool’s books as a youngster before being released by them aged 11.

After Newcastle United signed him from Everton in late January 2023, it took him six months to adapt to the Toon shirt.

He had a wonderful 2023/24 season and established himself as a fan favourite. I believe he was perfectly happy at Newcastle United before the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) reared their ugly head in June.

Our club were apparently not prepared and it appears that the Newcastle United hierarchy looked at a number of last minute contingency plans in the event that they would need to sell a key player such as Anthony Gordon by the end of June to satisfy the PSR if selling players from the squad was not viable.

That would have been a shame and certainly lessons would have been learned.

In the event, squad players Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh were traded to Nottingham Forest and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively for a combined total of £68 million.

But that does not rule out further departures this summer and speculation surrounding Gordon will only be heightened by the Anfield club.

Liverpool and their fans love each other. There is also no denying that they are the most successful English club in European and world football.

As a much younger lad in the 1970s and 80s, I never liked them and always wanted them to lose both domestically and on the continent. They rarely lost.

They have always picked Newcastle United players when they wanted.

Terry McDermott, Alan Kennedy, Peter Beardsley, Dietmar Hamann, Andy Carroll, Jose Enrique and Gini Wijnaldum immediately spring to mind. Even young Bobby Clark was sitting on the bench for Liverpool last season.

Anthony Gordon has shown himself to be a bright and intelligent young man on more than a few occasions since moving to the North East. I hope he quickly dismisses any thoughts of joining Liverpool. I genuinely think he would be an idiot to go there now.

United certainly cannot afford to let Anthony Gordon leave St James’ Park at this stage in his and our development. It has now become a test of nerve and determination, and the Reds will take pleasure in the way they are unsettling one of our stars.

Make no mistake, we are now a very real and direct threat to Liverpool.

Just look at the way the late Jurgen Klopp used to badmouth Newcastle United after the takeover.

Moving quickly to Kieran Trippier, I think he may well have played his last game in the black and white stripes. He was an incredible purchase for Atletico Madrid in 2022 and has been excellent in the 2022/23 season. His contribution on and off the pitch has been immense, but as my favourite Beatle George Harrison would have said, ‘All Things Must Pass’.