According to The Mail’s Craig Hope, Anthony Gordon ‘looks set to start through the middle’ in tonight’s Carabao Cup clash with Manchester United.
With Alexander Isak out with a groin injury, it seems Callum Wilson won’t be risked or asked to play four games in 12 days, having played the majority of recent matches against Crystal Palace, Borussia Dortmund and Wolves.
Howe talked up Gordon’s ability to play as a centre-forward in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday morning, saying his versatility was one of the reasons we signed him in January.
He’s also praised the “great job” he did in a false nine role for England’s U21s recently, with the Young Lions winning the European Championships over the summer.
It’s difficult to predict what side we’ll see come 8.15pm tonight, but one of Joelinton or Joe Willock may come in down our left if Gordon does play as a striker, with the likes of Elliot Anderson and Harvey Barnes both injured.
Here’s what Howe had to say when asked for his emergency striker and the reasons we didn’t sign a third over the summer:
“That was one of the reasons for signing Anthony [Gordon], who can play as a centre-forward, which he did for England at the Euros and did a great job.
“There are others – Harvey Barnes can play up there, although we don’t have him at the moment. Joelinton was also signed as a centre-forward, although we’ve moved his position.”
“The trouble is, you’re sort of alluding to signing a third striker. We just didn’t have the resources to do that. You can only go with the information you have at the time.
“As much as you can have a crystal ball and try to predict what will happen, that is part of our job as well, you only have a certain amount of resources and you have to make the decisions you’re faced with at the time.”
