Anthony Gordon scored a Champions League hat-trick for Newcastle United in their first-leg demolition of Qarabag.
The England international opened the scoring inside two minutes against the Azerbaijani side, and Malick Thiaw found the net with a header moments later.
Gordon then doubled his total for the night with a calmly taken penalty following a handball, before racing through on goal less than a minute later to complete his hat-trick.
In a stunning European campaign for the 24-year-old, the lightning-quick winger increased his goal tally to 10 in the competition this term after netting a second first-half penalty, while making history in the process.
Who has scored a Champions League hat-trick for Newcastle?
A hat-trick in the Champions League is a special moment for any player, regardless of the opposition, and Gordon joined an exclusive club with his first-half heroics against Qarabag.
What a start for Newcastle ?
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 18, 2026
Anthony Gordon gives his side the lead after just two minutes!@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/W0kVds2jlg
He became only the third player in Newcastle’s history to score a hat-trick in this competition after Faustino Asprilla in 1997 and Alan Shearer in 2003.
Considering the criticism he has faced for his lack of goals from open play, Gordon was electric in this fixture, and the Englishman took advantage of some shoddy defending to score four goals.
The Magpies ran riot in the opening 45 minutes and registered a whopping 18 attempts on goal, with 11 on target, and accumulated a whopping 4.49 xG.
Newcastle were at their ruthless best to put one foot in the Champions League knockout stages, while Qarabag were left embarrassed by their shoddy defending.
Gordon could leave Newcastle this summer
Gordon’s lack of consistency makes him brilliant when at his best, but equally frustrating when his end product isn’t up to scratch.
Supporters saw the excellence of their England international against Qarabag, and there is a possibility he could leave St James’ Park in January.
Anthony Gordon makes his 15th appearance in the Champions League for Newcastle United, overtaking Shay Given to become the outright top appearance maker for the club in the competition. #UCL pic.twitter.com/g10ZM2MgTV
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) February 18, 2026
There have been talks of Gordon leaving Newcastle, according to Fichajes, and the Toon could demand upwards of £100 million for their exciting winger.
Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal are all keeping tabs on his situation and performances, like the one in Azerbaijan, will only draw more admirers.
Gordon is currently tied to a long-term deal at Newcastle, but the length of his contract is unknown after the club decided against disclosing the information.
That arguably explains why a nine-figure fee is being talked up, although it would be a huge surprise if he left for the amount they’re demanding.
