Much of the interest surrounding Everton’s match with Newcastle United last night naturally focused on Anthony Gordon.
After all, he arguably remains the catalyst that sparked the inexplicable rift between the fanbases of these two huge English clubs, with his £45m move in 2023 causing a great divide.
For the Toon Army, his acquisition was a statement of intent, rescuing the youngster from a place he no longer wanted to be.
For Evertonians, they saw Gordon as jumping ship from the club that had given him his big break in their hour of need.
That acrimonious departure remains just as anger-inducing today as it did nearly two years ago now.
Amadou Onana sends message to Anthony Gordon after penalty miss
It’s ironic given that Gordon is not the only player to have forced a move, or sought to leave Everton for greener pastures in recent years.
Richarlison was one such name, who did not shy away from his desperation to play Champions League football, and his subsequent £60m departure was welcomed by a fanbase happy to let him flourish elsewhere.
Amadou Onana marks the most recent big-money exit too, having only just joined Aston Villa this summer for another huge fee.
And, it’s the Belgian who has now sought to offer Gordon, his former teammate, a wordless message of encouragement on Instagram.
The former Everton winger would initially post a picture of his return to Goodison Park accompanied by the caption: ‘A great performance, just couldn’t put them away, and that’s on me. Never easy missing but you’ll never ever see me shy away from stepping up for my team. Thanks to everyone that travelled – till next time.’
Onana simply replied with a sole red heart.
Anthony Gordon met with rough Goodison Park reunion
His return to Goodison Park, his third since leaving for Tyneside, was always bound to be met with fury.
After all, the manner of his exit left many fans certain that he had burned the last of the remaining bridges by abandoning his boyhood club.
The first season after his exit, he did little despite his side cruising to a 4-1 win. Then, Everton got their revenge last campaign with an emphatic 3-0 win of their own.
Yesterday’s match was far more partisan, but it could not have gone much better for the home support, who got to see Gordon fail so spectacularly, missing his crucial penalty that kept the scores level.
Hopefully, he returns to Merseyside can continue in such troubling fashion for him personally.
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