Eddie Howe's blunt response as Newcastle United call given St James' Park approval ahead of Liverpool

Dubravka had been on the bench for Newcastle’s previous two matches after signing a new one-year contract extension at the club. Nick Pope returned to the side for the Premier League matches against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool after two months out with a knee injury.

Pope’s form in the two games was called into question with Newcastle conceding five goals, two of which the goalkeeper was arguably at fault for.

Ahead of Sunday’s match, Howe discussed his goalkeeper selection dilemma in depth.

Eddie Howe discusses Newcastle United’s goalkeeper situation

He said: "I think with Nick, there's been some good bits and there's been some bits that probably naturally when you're coming back from injury, like he has been, that have been a little bit rusty in his game.

“But I think that's natural for any player. I think he's got, I still believe, standout qualities.

“He's a top goalkeeper. And yeah, I think he, naturally with his experience and his knowledge and understanding of his own game, we'll know he's got high expectations of himself as well.”

Heading into a crucial run of fixtures, Howe admitted his goalkeeper situation was not ‘totally clear’ during his Friday press conference.

"No, it's never totally clear because you've got to get the balance right and you've got to think of the team first and foremost,” he said. “And that's what I always do. I don't think of individuals, think of what the team needs.

“And I'll have to think about what I do [against Brighton]."

Howe’s short response to Martin Dubravka question

Howe ultimately went with Dubravka for the game with Pope on the bench. But when asked afterwards if the decision to start Dubravka was part a rotation of his squad for the FA Cup or whether it was an indicator of Dubravka’s return to the side in the build-up to the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on March 16, Howe’s response was quite blunt.

“The selection was always based on the next game and just trying to win this game,” he said, dropping no indication of whether Dubravka will keep his place against West Ham and then Liverpool or if Pope could return to the side once again.

Pope missed the 2023 Carabao Cup final due to suspension while Dubravka was cup-tied for the match having played for eventual winners Manchester United in the earlier rounds. As a result, Howe had to start third-choice goalkeeper Loris Karius for the match as The Magpies lost 2-0 at Wembley Stadium.

There’s a sense of deja vu this time around with uncertainty surrounding the goalkeeper position and Newcastle having a key player banned for the final. Anthony Gordon’s red card against Brighton rules him out of the final against Liverpool as well as the upcoming league matches against West Ham and Brentford.

Like Dubravka, Gordon also missed the 2023 Carabao Cup final for Newcastle due to being cup-tied from his time at Everton.

Martin Dubravka given St James’ Park vote of confidence

The decision to start Dubravka was seemingly given a seal of approval from the St James’ Park faithful on Sunday afternoon as the crowd chanted his name after he claimed a Brighton cross. The chant was met with an appreciative applause from the Slovakian.

Despite conceding twice, Dubravka made a couple of important saves in the match with the score at 1-1.

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