Qarabag, in truth, played right into Gordon’s hands.
This side had previously drawn against Chelsea and defeated Benfica, Eintracht Frankfurt and Copenhagen.
But the sight of the rapid Gordon playing further forward than Woltemade appeared to catch Qarabag a little cold.
By the time they finally readjusted, and dropped deeper in the second half, the damage had been done, as Match of the Day pundit Thomas Hitzlsperger noted.
“I have to say I was surprised by how high Qarabag defended, and how they kept a high line in the first half when the Newcastle goals were going in,” he said.
“I was thinking, ‘are they not watching Newcastle and their recent games?’ Because why did they allow so much space for Gordon, who was brilliant all evening?”
Gordon has impressed in such a role away from home in recent weeks – opening the scoring at Anfield last month and setting up Jacob Ramsey’s winner against Spurs last week.
He gives Eddie Howe’s side something different through the middle with his movement and pace, and the Azerbaijan Premier League champions could not cope.
“I think he’s been really good in that position,” Howe said. “Looking back to the Liverpool game, where I thought he was excellent, he scores.
“He’s shown he wants to play there and then he’s got the quality to play there. His pressing today was incredible for us. That gave us the platform to rebuild off of his work.
“Of course he’s taken the four goals and will get the headlines, naturally, but his all-round game was really strong.”
