On Sunday, few Newcastle United players had a more difficult afternoon than Martin Dubravka.
Eddie Howe’s injury-plagued Newcastle United were defeated 4-1 by Tottenham Hotspur, only days after suffering a devastating setback at Goodison Park. You could argue that Martin Dubravka, who is filling in for the injured Nick Pope in goal, was to blame for three of the goals yesterday.
Alan Shearer told Premier League Productions (10/12/23 at 6:40 pm) that he would be ‘amazed’ if he isn’t replaced and a new goalie isn’t brought in during the January transfer window.
The renowned striker went on to say, ‘there is a reason why Martin Dubravka has been number two’.
On the one hand, that is completely right, and a new keeper will almost certainly be hired.
On the other hand, if you make one mistake as a keeper, it will be noticed more than most, and it’s probably not simple to come back from the cold like Martin Dubravka has.
Newcastle United beaten at Tottenham
“There’s a reason he’s been number two,” Shearer explained. “I mean, Nick Pope has been absolutely fantastic for Newcastle.”
“I understand that it’s difficult to break into the team after not playing for so long.”
“However, it would not surprise me in the least if Newcastle went out and found a replacement for Pope in the coming weeks.”
“It’s got to be. If he is hurt, they will be in big difficulty, therefore they must prepare and plan. I’d be surprised if they aren’t already considering alternative options for bringing in another goalkeeper – I’d be surprised if they haven’t already talked options for what to do in the coming weeks.”
Newcastle United goalkeeper options
Some thought Dubravka deserved a shot at replacing Pope until he returned, but that plainly no longer holds true following his current performance.
However, there are a handful of free players available for Newcastle to consider, including ex-Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.
You could argue that because he is a free agent, he is the safest bet, but Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris is also being mentioned.
In any case, this is a critical decision for Newcastle, and if they get it right, it will have a significant impact on how they perform in the second half of the season.
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