Eddie Howe has suggested Nick Pope will remain his first choice at Newcastle United despite growing calls for Aaron Ramsdale to replace him.
Ramsdale has only started two games this season, both of which have come during Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup campaign.
Still, supporters online have recently been calling for him to start ahead of Pope on a more regular basis.
Indeed, Toon icon Shay Given said Pope should be “disappointed” with his performance at West Ham, with the goalkeeper criticised for his role in Lucas Paqueta’s goal during Sunday’s dreadful loss at the London Stadium.
Speaking ahead of his side’s Champions League clash against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, Howe addressed his goalkeeping dilemma.
Eddie Howe shakes Nick Pope's hand after Newcastle United's game against West Ham.
Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Eddie Howe hints that Nick Pope will stay as Newcastle’s No.1
When asked about the situation with Pope and Ramsdale, the Newcastle United manager dropped a major hint.
Howe talked about how happy Ramsdale is with his progress at the club but once again quickly stressed that Pope continues to perform well. His comments certainly suggest he’s not in a rush to change things.
“We’re really pleased with his [Ramsdale’s] progression since he’s been here, I think we’ve seen good performances in training from him and obviously he’s played very well in the games,” said Howe at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
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“I understand the question but Nick has performed consistently as well and our defensive record has been pretty strong this year.”
Eddie Howe in impossible position with Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale
Pope has been brilliant at times for Newcastle this season but it’s easy to see why there may be frustrations.
Ramsdale gives Newcastle a different dimension, such is his ability with the ball at his feet.
Pope puts Howe in an impossible position at times. He remains more than capable of pulling off a string of fine saves but is prone to the odd mistake on occasion.
It remains to be seen if Ramsdale is really the better option but it’s understandable as to why supporters would be keen to see a change made in goal, particularly after such a dismal defeat.
At his best, Pope’s positives more than outweigh his negatives. While that has been on show at times this season, it would be foolish to completely overlook the mounting criticism just because of some of his saves.