Eddie Howe releases Tino Livramento and Anthony Gordon injury updates

It was another bad day at the office for Newcastle United on Saturday as they fell to another home defeat to Bournemouth.

Ahead of the game, it was reported that Anthony Gordon had picked up a hip injury and was set to miss the game, which came hot off the heels of Howe's comments on Friday about players not playing who aren't 100% committed.

The timing is either highly coincidental or there's something afoot that we're not being told about.

We know how much fans love a conspiracy, so a lot is being read into Gordon's absence today, but Howe is sticking with the injury line for now.

As well as missing Gordon for the game, Tino Livramento pulled up in the second half with what looked like a groin injury and had to be replaced by Dan Burn.

Howe knew Gordon would be missing on Friday

Speaking after the game, Eddie Howe gave an update on his fallen players, and it doesn't sound good for Livramento, with Howe calling it a 'big blow', but more positive for Gordon.

“For Tino, that’s a huge blow for him and for us. I actually thought that Kieran’s [Trippier] introduction at the start of the second half made us stronger, but then losing him was a big blow.

“He [Gordon] missed training on Thursday and Friday with a problem he picked up on Wednesday. So, we knew he wasn’t going to be ready. It was an injury. He went for a scan on Thursday morning, so we knew it was going to be an injury that was going to take him out of the game.

“With Anthony, we’re unclear when he’ll be back. We don’t think it’s a long-term injury, but whether he makes next week, we don’t know. We’ll have to see how he goes this week in training.”

Howe also confirmed that the decision to take Lewis Hall off at half-time was tactical and not forced by injury.

Something doesn't add up

We're hoping that Howe's saying Livramento's injury was a big blow is purely in the context of the game and not that the England right-back is set for another spell on the sidelines in what has been another injury-hit season.

If you'll allow us to don our tinfoil hats for the Gordon story for a moment. If Eddie Howe knew on Friday that Anthony Gordon wouldn't be involved on Saturday, why didn't he mention it?

Howe's claims that he picked up the injury on Wednesday and went for scans on Thursday don't really stand up when there was no mention of it on Friday morning. Especially amid the questions around his commitment. 

Eddie Howe could have given his 100% speech and added the context right there that Gordon will be missing on Saturday. It would have negated all of this questioning. Now there's just been a huge can of worms opened.

Everything feels like such a mess right now.