Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the latter stages of their Premier League win over Manchester United this weekend, according to the Telegraph.
Initial assessments tell a grim story, with the England international expected to be sidelined for most of the season.
Pope will miss their crucial final Champions League group stage match against AC Milan and their upcoming League Cup tie against Chelsea.
The 31-year-old was instrumental in the first leg of their Milan fixture, making incredible saves to shut out the Rossoneri.
Pope will also be absent for crunch Premier League fixtures against Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.
As a consequence of Pope’s absence, the Magpies’ hopes of making the top four in the Premier League this season have taken a massive hit.
Their goalkeeper was a crucial part of their resilience, with Pope established as one of the best shot-stoppers in the English top flight and Europe.
He has helped Newcastle keep five clean sheets in 14 matches this season while recording the third-highest save percentage.
Martin Dubravka stepped up to replace Pope when he came off against United and will be expected to fill the massive shoes going forward.
Injuries have threatened to decimate Newcastle’s season. They have a plethora of players out with different injury problems, and Pope has added to that number to leave manager Eddie Howe short-staffed.
Despite several injury setbacks, Newcastle continue to punch above their weight to produce remarkable results.
