Newcastle United’s Nick Pope did not take long to recover from the trauma of his red card against Liverpool, as evidenced by his scintillating play since his return.
Pope was dismissed during the 2-0 loss, preventing him from competing in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley. Since then, however, he has led the team to five victories out of six in the Premier League and given new life to the club’s Champions League bid, and influential star Dan Burn believes it will take a great deal to bring down the England international.
The former Burnley player not only saved Ivan Toney’s penalty last week, but also twice denied Brentford’s vanguard in the final moments. Pope’s steely composure were a major influence in Newcastle’s massive victory.
“Achieving a perfect record in three consecutive games demonstrates the character and cohesiveness of the team.”
Pope will travel to Villa in fine form after saving a penalty in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Brentford, and will be eager to take on Unai Emery’s side. Prior to the contest, Burn told Chronicle Live, “Popey is an outstanding goalkeeper. I don’t believe he has many flaws. At the conclusion of the game against Brentford, he cleared a ball and blocked a cross; therefore, he assumes this danger.
“However, he is always beneficial to us as our last line of defense, and he’s been a major contributor this season. It’s significant for us and helps us maintain a high line; it’s a risk, but he gets it right more often than not.”
Burn has helped guide the Magpies to two consecutive road victories, and the team is now aiming to make it three in a row. The Newcastle central defender remarked, “It’s enormous. We got off to a slow start after the winter break, but now we’ve settled into a rhythm and the wins are coming thick and fast.”