Howe wants Pope to be back quickly

NEWCASTLE head coach Eddie Howe insists he cannot afford to lose goalkeeper Nick Pope to injury for long despite having a more-than-adequate backup in Aaron Ramsdale.

- 

Pope is set to have a scan to assess a groin problem he sustained in training on Friday, just hours after Howe had defended him following a series of high-profile errors.

It spared Howe a difficult decision over whether to drop Pope for the 4-1 win at Everton - their first victory away from home since April - and he insisted he had not already made that decision before it was taken out of his hands.

“We are disappointed to lose him. We can't afford to lose any player,” said the Magpies boss.