Newcastle United suffer blow as key player ruled out for six matches due to a training-ground injury, with two 16-year-olds quietly promoted to the squad

Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope is set to miss a significant part of the festive schedule after suffering a groin injury during training.

The 33-year-old has already been absent for the last three games and is expected to remain sidelined for several more weeks.

Pope had recently faced criticism following his costly error in the 2-1 Champions League defeat to Marseille, with many fans calling for Aaron Ramsdale to replace him. Those calls were answered — but only because Pope was forced out through injury rather than being dropped.

During the training session on the Friday before the match against Everton, Pope injured his groin, ruling him out for the foreseeable future. Ramsdale stepped in and helped Newcastle secure a 4-1 victory, their first Premier League away win since April. He then featured in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham and the 2-1 home win over Burnley.

Newcastle now head into a Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday before taking on rivals Sunderland in the Tyne–Wear derby on Sunday. Eddie Howe has suggested Pope could return around Christmas but hopes his recovery may be quicker.

With Ramsdale set to continue as the starting keeper, Newcastle must rely on youth options in Europe because John Ruddy and Mark Gillespie aren’t registered for the Champions League. That means Under-21 keeper Max Thompsonwill be on the bench, supported by an additional academy goalkeeper.

Newcastle turning to their academy

In Pope’s absence, the club has quietly elevated two 16-year-old goalkeepers into first-team involvement.

After the 2-1 win over Burnley, Roman Dowell was seen in the dressing-room photo beside Ramsdale, having assisted in the warm-up before the match. Meanwhile, fellow 16-year-old George Mair traveled with the team for the Everton and Tottenham fixtures, also helping the senior keepers prepare.

Both Dowell and Mair have represented Newcastle in the UEFA Youth League and are expected to travel to Leverkusen this week. Under UEFA rules, either player could be officially listed as a backup keeper on matchday under “List B,” which can include players born on or after January 1, 2004 who have been registered with the club for at least two years.