Euro 2024: England’s Anthony Gordon ready to ‘add a different element’ in knockouts – ‘I’m an absolute nightmare’
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Updated 29/06/2024 at 09:13 GMT
Anthony Gordon is ready to help lift the current gloom surrounding the England team, as The Three Lions prepare for a Euro 2024 last-16 clash against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday. Gareth Southgate's side have limped their way into the knockout stages after three lacklustre group-stage performances against Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia.
‘I went 10 feet in the air’ - Gordon reflects on bike accident
Anthony Gordon says he is "an absolute nightmare" to play against and is ready to "add a different element" for England ahead of their Euro 2024 last-16 clash against Slovakia.
The 23-year-old has been restricted to a one-minute cameo in the goalless draw against Slovenia in England’s final group match on Tuesday, but is backing himself to make a big impact at the tournament if called upon.
"My strengths are I’m direct, I’m quick,” he said in an England press conference on Friday.
Gordon continued: "I’m an absolute nightmare for anyone I play against. I'm always trying to put people on the back foot and I think I add a different element to the team.
"I think it [my direct style] brings a sense of unpredictability. I draw a lot of fouls and it can put teams on the back foot and that’s how I play football.
"That works for me, that’s the way I feel best playing. I know how hard I am to play against, I can feel it, I know they don’t like playing against me and I’m going to carry on doing it."
Gareth Southgate’s side secured qualification for the knockout stages by topping Group C, but three underwhelming performances have attracted a slew of criticism.
Gordon was keen to focus on the positives heading into Sunday’s match in Gelsenkirchen, and highlighted the need to stay in the present.
"We can only control so much," the Newcastle United forward said. "In the past games we weren’t where we want to be but as I said, it’s in the past.
"We’ve got to stay present as a team, stay focused on what’s ahead of us. We've got a lot coming up, we’ve got a lot to look forward to. If we let past games affect us, then we are not going to perform to the best we can.
“The pressure and things that can come with this kind of stage, it's not really real because you can change it in an instant.
"If we go and put a top performance in at our next game, then everything changes and that is the good thing about football."
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2024/06/28/image-b9df0d3d-1308-4302-be1b-ae7ae2c8806c-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Anthony Gordon suffered minor injuries in a bike riding accident.
Image credit: Getty Images
The winger was sporting scratches to his face, hands and arms after suffering an accident while out bike riding with the team.
"[It was] meant to be a recovery bike ride and I was going down the hill and tried to take a picture for my family and before I knew it I was face first into the floor," Gordon said. "It's only a few cuts, it’s not anything painful.
"Electric is a lot faster than normal bikes - the front brake is on the left-hand side and I tried to press the right one to slow down and it didn’t slow down it came to a full stop and I’ve gone 10 feet in the air chin first.
"I just carried on and finished the bike ride. When I got back to camp, I had to put stuff on it which absolutely stung. To be fair, no one saw me thankfully."
discovery+ the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer
Scan me
Share this article