Newcastle v Tottenham pre-match briefing
Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope is set to miss the trip to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League as well as the trip to Sunderland due to injury.
The 33-year-old suffered an injury in training last Friday and was ruled out of the 4-1 win at Everton as a result. It marked the end of a difficult week for Pope, whose place in the side was seriously questioned following his goal costing error against Marseille in the Champions League.
Supporters calling for Aaron Ramsdale to come into the side had their wish granted but it came at the expense of an injury to Pope.
Ramsdale came into the side for his full Premier League debut for Newcastle against Everton as Eddie Howe’s side picked up a first league away win since April. The 27-year-old is now set for a run of games in the side leading up to Christmas.
Eddie Howe on NUFC’s goalkeeper situation
While Howe couldn’t provide a clear update on Pope’s fitness in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game, it is understood the goalkeeper is now facing around three weeks out due to injury.
On Ramsdale’s introduction to the side, Howe said: “I guess he was in a good mood afterwards. I didn't really see him actually, to be honest due to media duties but I’m sure he felt good returning back to Newcastle as we all did after the game.
“There's that feeling that we haven't had very often away from home, where you've done a good job, you've completed your objective and then you're focusing on the next game in a positive way. So, he can be very pleased.
“It's a really good start for him. I'm sure he's in a good place.”
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But the Newcastle boss was keen to heap the praise on Pope amid a difficult period for the goalkeeper. Pope was voted into Newcastle’s leadership group earlier in the season, joining Bruno Guimaraes, Jamaal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Jacob Murphy.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Nick,” he added. “Since I’ve worked with him he’d been outstanding, not just as a goalkeeper because you see the product, but as a person, the character he is.
“He’s a really humorous lad, he’s vibrant and brings good energy to the group and the players see that and respect him immensely. You can see that by the fact they voted him into the leadership group as a mark of the character he is behind the scenes so his goalkeeping is second to none.
“His shot-stopping is the best I’ve ever worked with and we need him back.”
Sky Sports provide Nick Pope Newcastle United injury update
Ahead of Tuesday night’s match against Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park, Sky Sports claimed that Pope would be out for around three weeks with a groin injury.
In addition to the Everton and Spurs matches, Pope is set to be ruled out for the following games against Burnley, Bayer Leverkusen, Sunderland, Fulham and Chelsea - with a return date pencilled in for Manchester United at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
It will give Ramsdale the chance to have a decent run in the side while it is the third successive season Pope has picked up an injury around this time of the year. Last season, he suffered a knee injury in a 4-2 defeat at Brentford that ruled him out of action for almost two months while the season before that he suffered a serious shoulder injury that saw him miss around four months of action.
While Newcastle’s form suffered during Pope’s injury absence in 2023/24, his injury last season came at the same time Newcastle started to turn their campaign around as Martin Dubravka came into the side as they secured nine successive wins in all competitions.
While Pope’s injury is still a blow, The Magpies will be hoping for a similar change in fortunes this time around.
NUFC decision taken out of Eddie Howe’s hands
What was shaping up to be the most scrutinised team selection decision of the season was ultimately taken out of Howe’s hands by the news of Pope’s injury.
“It doesn't feel like that [decision is made for you] when you're me,” Howe explained. “I'm just making a decision like I do every week. Of course, every decision is a big decision,and that's how I look at it.
“I don't look at it as any one decision is bigger than the other. So, this dramatic showdown of decisions, that's not the reality. I was disappointed for Nick that he picked up the injury when he did, and disappointed for us, because we need him.”
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