Newcastle lose 2-1 to Marseille: Is Nick Pope's time up?

BACK to the drawing board for Eddie Howe's Newcastle United team.

Tonight (November 23), Newcastle lost 2-1 away to Ligue 1 title challengers Marseille, which leaves them eighth in the 36-team Champions League table.

A frustrating watch for Newcastle fans, as the Magpies squandered an early first-half lead, conceding two goals in a quick start to the second half.

The Magpies led 1-0 at the Velodrome courtesy of Harvey Barnes’ sixth-minute opener, his third goal in four days after his match-winning double against Manchester City, and were good value for it.

However, they squandered the lead within 20 seconds of the restart when Nick Pope raced from his line in an ill-judged attempt to beat Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Darryl Bakola’s through-ball and saw the striker round him and finish superbly from an unlikely angle.

It was 2-1 within five minutes when Aubameyang got ahead of Fabian Schar to toe-poke Timothy Weah’s cross past Pope at the near post, and it might have been three almost instantly when Hojbjerg fired straight at the keeper.

Despite having 20 shots to Marseille's 18 and nine shots on target to the French side's seven, and some late Newcastle changes, which included the introductions of the lively Nick Woltemade, Jacob Ramsey, and Lewis Hall, the Magpies couldn't force themselves back into the game.

In the fallout of the game, Howe has jumped to Pope's defence. He told PA: "It’s a concern when we concede goals regardless of who’s at fault. We have to look at everything with a balanced head.

"He saved us many times. He made some really good saves against Manchester City just two days ago. That’s the life of a goalkeeper. But I’ll certainly back him."

Pope wasn't the only one to blame - with the five at the back formation and also the exclusion of a recognised number nine also being factors - however, when you have a goalkeeper of the calibre of Aaron Ramsdale on the bench, how many more mistakes and goals can Pope cost Newcastle before Howe gives the former Arsenal number one a chance?

In many Newcastle fans' eyes, Pope is skating on thin ice.