Newcastle boss Eddie Howe backed Anthony Gordon for an England call-up after the forward netted his side’s winner against Manchester United on Saturday night. 

Gordon took his season tally to six with a 55th-minute close-range strike as Newcastle deservedly beat United.

And manager Howe believes the 22-year-old is doing enough to get Southgate’s attention. ‘He is playing a very high level and he has been this season,’ said Howe.

‘He puts the work in every day and sometimes we have to go and get him off the training pitch.

Anthony Gordon has been backed for an England call-up after his winner against Man United 

Eddie Howe believes that Gordon’s goals will help him force his way into the England squad

‘Up against a very good defender today in [Aaron] Wan-Bissaka he was very good again, physically he was so good today. It was a really good battle between the two of them.

‘He is getting the goals and you need the headlines if you are to force your way into the England squad with the competition.’

Gordon said it was an ‘amazing win’ and hailed his team-mates for pushing through the pain barrier ‘with kicks and bruises’.

‘It’s amazing to win today,’ he said. ‘It’s been a massive week for us, some good moments, some difficult moments but we came through it was a team. The same XI played three games on the bounce and we pulled through.

‘Definitely makes the result more satisfying that we pulled through with the same team. It’s not just the lads that are injured, the ones that are playing have kicks and bruises, I’m limping.

‘It’s so satisfying because we know how hard we work for each other, so to get the win today is massive.’

Meanwhile, Howe and Southgate were dealt a blow when goalkeeper Nick Pope suffered a dislocated shoulder. ‘We’ll seek a specialist opinion but it doesn’t look good,’ added Howe.

Howe admitted that England goalkeeper Nick Pope’s dislocated shoulder ‘doesn’t look good’