Anthony Gordon left Everton and completed a move to Newcastle United in January.
The 21-year-old made his first team debut for the Toffees in December 2017 and went on to make 78 appearances, scoring seven goals and registering eight assists in the process.
Gordon scored four of those goals in the 2021/22 season, when Rafael Benitez, first, and then Frank Lampard, were in charge at Goodison Park.
The Spaniard was at the Merseyside club between summer 2021 and January 2022. Frank Lampard was appointed as his successor before he was shown the exit door last month.
Earlier in his career, the 62-year-old had a spell at Everton’s local rivals, Liverpool. The Reds host Real Madrid, another former club of Benitez, in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie on Tuesday.
When asked whether the Brazilian is a victim rather than a provocateur, the coach opened up on how he handled Gordon at Everton.
“It depends on each one. In the case of Vinicius we are talking about a very fast player who confronts people. It is his game and his virtue,” Benitez said.
“My last player like that is Anthony Gordon [at Everton]. You have to talk to him, teach him with videos when this or that happens, educate him to anticipate game situations and minimise the opponent’s chances of stopping him with fouls.”
