Preston didn’t exactly see the best of Anthony Gordon but he is emerging as one of the few bright spots for Everton this season.
Back on deadline day in January 2021, Preston pulled off quite the coup by securing Everton talent Gordon on loan for the rest of the season.
A highly-rated wide man, Gordon had shown promise in the Premier League but needed minutes away from Goodison Park.
North End saw exciting glimpses from Gordon, who looked ready and willing to drive at defenders and take them on for fun.
Yet if you look at Gordon’s raw numbers, it doesn’t look great.
No goals or assists for Preston, just five starts to his name and six substitute appearances before heading back to Everton.
Many feel it was a pretty strange situation; North End ended up settling on a 3-4-1-2 system under Frankie McAvoy, leaving Gordon on the fringes.
Gordon wasn’t a striker and wasn’t a wing back, so there was quite simply no role for him at Deepdale.
It now looks like Gordon is on course to become yet another Premier League loanee who thrives after failing to hit top form at Preston; just like Andy Carroll, Danny Welbeck and Josh King before him.
Gordon has nailed down a starting role at Everton this season, especially since the appointment of Frank Lampard as their new manager.
Gordon started in Everton’s 5-0 defeat at Tottenham on Monday night, which proved to be an absolutely miserable night.
The winger was Everton’s only shining light, recording four successful dribbles, three tackles won and two key passes in a dismal Everton display.
Gordon was branded ‘top quality’ by ex-Premier League striker Jonathan Walters, hailing the wide man for his display despite his teammates struggling.
Gordon’s uneventful loan spell at North End has to go down as one of the strangest Preston situations in recent times, quickly going from substitute to Premier League starter after leaving Deepdale.