Howe Defends Pope After Marseille Mistake Costs Newcastle
Marseille, France - Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has thrown his support behind goalkeeper Nick Pope following a costly error that contributed to their 2-1 defeat against Olympique Marseille in the Champions League on Tuesday night. The defeat at the Stade Vélodrome brought an end to Newcastle's three-game winning streak in the competition.
Harvey Barnes had given the Magpies an early lead, firing home a low cross in the 6th minute for his fourth goal in three games. Newcastle looked comfortable in the first half, but Marseille came out strong after the break. Just seconds into the second half, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang latched onto a pass, rounded Pope, and slotted the ball into the empty net to level the score.
Aubameyang then completed his brace, turning in a cross from Timothy Weah to give Marseille the lead. Despite Newcastle's efforts to find an equalizer, they were unable to break down the Marseille defense.
Pope's error for the first goal proved to be a turning point in the match, but Howe was quick to defend his goalkeeper. "Nick has been outstanding for us ever since he has come to the club," Howe said. "He is a world-class goalkeeper, and he didn't have too much to do tonight, but he made one mistake, and he's been punished for it".
Howe acknowledged the disappointment of the defeat but emphasized the team's overall position in the group. "We are still in a good position in the group, and we have to focus on the next game," he stated. "These games are decided by fine margins, and we just came out on the wrong side of it tonight."
Newcastle made three changes to the side that beat Manchester City 2-1 last weekend, with Anthony Gordon returning from injury, and Joe Willock and Dan Burn also coming into the starting eleven. Despite the loss, Newcastle remains in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. They currently sit in the top eight in the Champions League standings.
The defeat marks only the second win for Marseille in their last five UCL games. Newcastle will look to bounce back in their next Champions League match against Leverkusen on December 10. The team also continues to compete in the Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup. They are currently in a Champions League qualifying position for the 2025/26 competition.
