Qualifying for Europe ‘would be massive’ for Newcastle

Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon said qualifying for Europe would be massive after a 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur put Eddie Howe’s side sixth in the Premier League.

A season that began so hopefully for Newcastle as they returned to the Champions League had looked like petering out into disappointment after injuries bit deep into the squad. But they are finishing the season strongly and have taken 10 points from their past four league games to leapfrog Manchester United into a Europa League place.

“It’s massive. We’ve had a taste for it this season and we want next year to be the same. With performances like we put in today, that won’t put us far wrong off that,” Gordon, who scored his side’s second goal against Spurs, said.

Alexander Isak struck twice to take his league tally this season to 17.

“It is hard to describe. You can see on the pitch he is so, so gifted,”

Gordon said. “He can become one of the best players in the world, and when fit he is so good to play with.”

Newcastle remained 10 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in fifth, so qualifying for the Champions League again looks unlikely.

“We’ve just got to keep doing our bit which is trying to win every game. We’re hopefully returning to somewhere near our best and we’ve got to keep heading in that direction,” manager Eddie Howe said.

For Tottenham, it was a woeful display and with a tough run-in to come with title-chasers Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City still to face they can ill afford any more poor performances.

“It’s nowhere near good enough,” said manager Ange Postecoglou, whose side have kept only six clean sheets in 32 games.

“I was concerned with all of it. There wasn’t any part of our game that reached the levels that it needs to for us to be able to play the game on our terms.”