The Anthony Gordon penalty bust-up wasn’t a good look for Newcastle but Eddie Howe knows he can rely on his skipper
13:00, 19 Feb 2026Updated 13:29, 19 Feb 2026
Kieran Trippier applauds the fans following the Champions League Play-off First Leg match between Qarabag FK and Newcastle United
One thing that has become abundantly clear in the last week or so is that reports of Kieran Trippier’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
The home game against Brentford felt like a turning point in Trippier’s career. Originally for negative, rather than positive reasons. As he was caught out of position for the Bees’ late winner, having been given a bit of a runaround for large parts of the game, the England international looked every day of his 35 years.
What happened next has taken many – myself included – by surprise.
One thing that shouldn’t be forgotten is that Trippier is arguably the greatest right-back seen at Newcastle, certainly in the last 50 years or so. His signing from Spanish giants Atletic Madrid four years ago was transformative – not just because of the message it sent out with United embroiled in a relegation scrap, not just because of his ability on the pitch, but because of the leadership he would provide to a squad in desperate need of some help.
Those leadership skills have been evident this last 10 days. With the pressure ramped up – both on himself and manager Eddie Howe – Trippier stood up. He spoke passionately and forcefully in the immediate aftermath of the Brentford defeat, refusing to hide after a poor individual performance, and along with other senior players he pulled together a team meeting to address the form.
Demands were made, home truths were spoken. The squad responded.
If anyone was in any doubt about how the players felt about their manager, they showed their true colours in the next 10 days, beating Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Qarabag away from home. Trippier has started all three games and rolled back the years with some vintage performances. Talk of his legs being gone have quietened down.
There’s no doubt his best playing days are behind him, and with his contract expiring at the end of the season he may be heading for the exit door, but if this is to be his Newcastle swansong then he is determined to go down fighting.
Howe has needed his big players, his senior men, to stand up and be counted. Trippier has delivered with his words and actions.
Those words and actions crossed a line on Wednesday night when he squabbled with Anthony Gordon over who should take Newcastle’s second penalty of the evening. Gordon is the designated taker, chosen by Howe. It wasn’t for Trippier to get involved in and certainly isn’t his decision.
Gordon, rightfully, stood his ground – just as Alan Shearer famously did when young upstart Paul Robinson tried to take a spot kick off him in the 8-0 demolition of Sheffield Wednesday more than a quarter of a century previously. Shearer was the penalty king and wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to bag another goal.
I’m sure Trippier wouldn’t have been so insistent to Big Al if he’d been playing that day. He’d have got short shrift if he had.
Rows and arguments in football dressing rooms or on the training ground are ten a penny. It’s just not often they spill over into public view. It didn’t overshadow an historic night for Newcastle but it wasn’t a good look as the players came off the pitch 5-0 up at half-time. Ultimately, though, it was a storm in a teacup and while Trippier – wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of Bruno Guimaraes – was wrong to demand Gordon gave up the penalty, it again showed his stature within the United squad and how he is thinking about helping everyone in it.
Newcastle will need their most experienced player driving the standards between now and the end of May if this rollercoaster campaign is going to have a happy ending. If that means upsetting a few players along the way then so be it.
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