Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope escaped a four-game ban after his horror moment against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Toon stopper was sent off against Liverpool last month and forced to miss the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United at Wembley. In Pope's first match back at St James' Park, he misjudged a back-pass from Sven Botman and ended up in a tangle with physical Wolves star Raul Jimenez.
The incident led to furious Wolves protests as they left the field at half-time and headed up the tunnel with Sky Sports TV pundits left mystified by Andy Madley's decision not to dismiss Pope for the second time in three Premier League encounters. A heavier punishment would have been sanctioned for Pope given it was his second red card of the season.
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Eddie Howe reacted after the game: "I'm on the Newcastle perspective and I felt that Jimenez was on his way down before Nick touched him. That was my live impression – I've not seen it back, so could be wrong, but that's what I thought."
On a day of thrills and spills in the Premier League, Newcastle picked up an unexpected boost ahead of their clash with Manchester United on April 2. Indeed, Casemiro's red card against Southampton will see him serve a four-game ban after his second dismissal in the space of weeks.
The Brazilian proved to be the difference in the Carabao Cup final but he will not be on duty for the crunch Premier League encounter on Tyneside. Had Pope been banned, Newcastle would have had fewer problems compared to their clash at Wembley with Martin Dubravka free to play in the Premier League.
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