Newcastle United suffered a heart-wrenching 2-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, undone by a costly stoppage-time mistake from goalkeeper Nick Pope. Despite a string of impressive saves, Pope’s late-game error handed the Gunners a corner that led to Gabriel Magalhães’ decisive header, leaving pundits questioning Newcastle’s game management and composure under pressure.
Pope’s Heroics Overshadowed by Crucial Error
Nick Pope had been one of Newcastle’s standout performers throughout the match, producing several key saves to keep the Magpies in contention. However, with the score tied at 1-1 deep into stoppage time, the keeper attempted an ambitious long ball aimed at Anthony Elanga rather than slowing the tempo. The risky decision backfired as Arsenal regained possession and quickly won a corner.
From the resulting set piece, Martin Ødegaard’s delivery found Gabriel, who rose highest to head home the winner, with Pope caught out of position and unable to react in time.
Sky Sports Pundits Slam Newcastle’s Late Game Management
During Sky Sports’ post-match coverage, pundits Jamie Redknapp and Les Ferdinand were critical of Pope’s decision-making and the team’s failure to manage the closing moments more effectively.
“Newcastle were the architects of their own downfall,” said Redknapp. “At 1-1, game management is everything. Pope should’ve gone down, taken the sting out of it. Instead, he tried to play Elanga in a tough situation—Arsenal were on top, and the risk wasn’t worth it.”
Ferdinand echoed the sentiment, questioning the logic behind Pope’s choice. “Elanga’s up against three defenders. It’s not like he’s one-on-one—it didn’t make sense,” he added.
Set-Piece Struggles Strike Again
Once Arsenal forced the corner, the danger was evident. Known for their proficiency from set pieces, Mikel Arteta’s side made no mistake. Gabriel timed his run perfectly and capitalized on Pope’s positioning error, with William Saliba also playing a crucial role in blocking the keeper’s path.
“Pope got caught in no man’s land,” Ferdinand said during analysis. “Saliba stands his ground, Pope can’t get past him, and Gabriel’s left with an open header.”
Redknapp added that Pope’s attempt to redeem his earlier error only made things worse: “He tried to overcorrect. All he needed to do was stay calm.”
Déjà Vu for Newcastle at Home
This isn’t the first time Newcastle have let a result slip late at St. James’ Park. Earlier this season, they suffered a similarly painful defeat to Liverpool, also due to a late goal. Redknapp compared both situations, suggesting that the Magpies are occasionally letting their enthusiasm cloud their judgment.
“They get a little greedy,” Redknapp said. “Sometimes, a draw against a top side is a good result. But instead of controlling the tempo, they pushed too hard, and it cost them again.”
