Nick Pope reminded the entire world of his talent on Tuesday night during Newcastle United’s 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain.
While the aftermath of the game was dominated by talk of the embarrassing penalty PSG were awarded, it should have been all about the heroics of Nick Pope.
The 31-year-old was at the top of his game in the Champions League, producing save after save to deny Kylian Mbappe and co.
In the end, Mbappe did find a way past Pope, but it was only via a last-minute penalty that never should have been awarded in the first place.
But up until the injustice, Pope was a ginormous figure in between the sticks. He looked unbeatable, with reflexes that would rank him among the world’s best.
That is high praise for someone who can’t even get in the England squad right now, and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that Pope is one of the best signings that Newcastle have made since Eddie Howe became manager.
Jamie Carragher full of praise for Nick Pope
Carragher has wrote about Pope in his latest column for the Telegraph, comparing his midweek heroics to the comical mistakes made by Andre Onana – who will be at St James’ Park playing for Manchester United on Saturday night.
“Newcastle are appropriate opponents this weekend having benefited enormously from the consistency of Nick Pope,” he wrote.
“Pope may not be considered world class by those beyond St James’ Park, but you can be sure Eddie Howe rates him as one of his most astute purchases. He is a big part of why Newcastle have gone from the bottom half of the Premier League into the Champions League.
“There was a marked contrast between Pope and Onana in midweek.”
Nick Pope is one of Newcastle’s best signings
Newcastle have signed some big players since PIF bought the club, but some of their purchases have been really astute.
The £12million deal to bring in Kieran Trippier sits right at the top, but the £10million spent on Nick Pope is not far behind.
He did not look like an essential arrival when he joined the club, but what a signing he has proved to be. He was breathtakingly brilliant last season, and this season he has continued to impress.
There have been a couple of errors that have raised eyebrows, while there are question marks about his distribution. But as a pure goalkeeper, Pope is simply so reliable.
That is what Howe wants from his goalkeeper, and it is why he will be so happy with his contribution since joining Newcastle in 2022.
Pope is enjoying a rich vein of form right now, and hopefully that continues on Saturday night against Man United.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
