Sven Botman, Nick Pope, Malick Thiaw and Dan Burn of Newcastle United celebrate as teammate Harvey Barnes (not pictured) scores his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Newcastle United FC and SL Benfica at St James' Park on October 21, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)placeholder image
Sven Botman, Nick Pope, Malick Thiaw and Dan Burn of Newcastle United celebrate as teammate Harvey Barnes (not pictured) scores his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Newcastle United FC and SL Benfica at St James' Park on October 21, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It isn’t just in goal where Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has a big decision to make.
The position that is attracting the most attention is goalkeeper after Nick Pope dropped a clanger during the 2-1 defeat to Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Pope came racing out of his area which allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to equalise less than a minute into the second-half. That moment changed the flow of the match as Aubameyang soon netted again to inflict a defeat on the Magpies.
The 33-year-old has made a mistake in each of his last three away games, having United the lead at West Ham United and Brentford.
Eddie Howe responds to calls to drop Aaron Ramsdale
On calls to drop Pope for on-loan goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, Howe said: All options, of course, are on the table for me. I need to, as I always do with the team selection, think long and hard about who I pick, and I try and do that on merit.
“As I say, I get the luxury of seeing the players train every day, goalkeepers included, and yes, I'll make my call.
“I'd say you don't necessarily, naturally or in my mind, think about rotating the goalkeeper. I think it's a position of consistency and ideally, you want to give the defenders who are playing in front of that goalkeeper the continuity and the knowledge and understanding of how that goalkeeper plays.
“Changing a goalkeeper is possible, of course, but it's a big call to make because, depending on the style of goalkeeper, a lot changes and defenders in front get used to a style. That's something for me to consider.
“Certainly, rotating the goalkeeper position isn't something I want to do.”
Eddie Howe has Newcastle United centre-back decision
In addition to the goalkeeping situation, who starts at centre-back alongside Malick Thiaw is also up for debate.
Howe played down the prospect of Sven Botman starting. The Dutchman is available, but is nursing a back problem, which leaves Fabian Schar or Dan Burn.
Schar played alongside Thiaw in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Manchester City before Howe switched to a back three in Marseille. That saw, Thiaw, Schar and Burn start.
United’s boss could opt for three centre-backs again but if he is to return to his preferred 4-3-3 formation, it’ll be either Schar or Burn that is left disappointed.
“Sven has been managing a bit of a back problem so I wouldn’t necessarily classify him as 100% fit,” Howe said,
“What do I look for? Firstly, you have to be able to defend. You have to win your aerial duels, positionally be good, have leadership and communication responsibilities, that is so important in the modern game. But you have to be able to distribute the ball, that is also so important in the modern game.
“We have got four very good centre-backs. They all have bigger strengths in different areas. And, of course, the partnership is important too.”
Continue Reading