Eddie Howe has backed Nick Pope to remain Newcastle United's first-choice goalkeeper despite a costly error in the 2-1 Champions League defeat to Marseille. Pope rushed out of his goal and conceded a penalty, which Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converted, before adding a second for the French side at the Stade Vélodrome.
Howe acknowledged the mistake but pointed to Pope's history of bouncing back from setbacks, including a red card against Liverpool two years ago that ruled him out of the Carabao Cup final. The head coach resisted the temptation to drop Pope, with on-loan Aaron Ramsdale waiting in the wings. “I’ve never been swayed by outside noise,” Howe said.
Pope’s blunder came after he screamed at Aubameyang in a desperate attempt to distract the striker, but it proved futile. Despite the defeat, Howe praised his side’s overall performance, noting they had 20 shots. “The performance was strong. I was pleased with a lot of it, but the manner of the goals was disappointing,” he added.
Newcastle’s away form remains a concern, having thrown away leads on the road. They face Everton next, a side they drew 0-0 with last season. Meanwhile, Harvey Barnes continued his impressive European form, scoring his fourth Champions League goal to move within three of Alan Shearer’s club record in the competition.
