Ex-Liverpool man on why he has ‘no fear’ over Newcastle United’s start to the season and his Nick Pope England verdict

Even though they have taken just eight points from their first seven games, Barnes doesn’t fear for Newcastle this season and is encouraged by the style of play that is being implemented by Howe.

Barnes told Bonus Code Bets: “Look at the way they play. Okay they’ve only got one win but in terms of the way they play they’ve been consistent, they’ve been competitive so I have no fears.

“They’ve only got one win but I think the performances, even against Liverpool which they lost they played really well

"So I have no fear for them in terms of the results because the performances have warranted better results and if they keep playing that well they will get the results.”

Although wins have been hard to come by, Newcastle have been tough to beat this campaign and that is, in large part, down to the form shown by new signing Nick Pope.

Pope has been a revelation for the Magpies this season but Barnes believes that Jordan Pickford will be Gareth Southgate’s No.1 for the World Cup in Qatar.

Barnes said: “Pickford is the number one. Regardless of what your ambitions are, Pickford is the number one goalkeeper.

“Pope may not have done well against Germany. He’s not as good at playing out from the back and he made a mistake for the goal but he’s still a very good goalkeeper. So I’m not going to judge him because you need three goalkeepers and he’s one of the three top goalkeepers.

“I’m not going to say he shouldn’t be in the squad. Pope is an adequate replacement or third choice goalkeeper so I won’t just look at that one game because he didn’t do particularly well.

“Very much like Trent I think that Gareth Southgate has to decide we are definitely going to need a player who can play out from the back because that’s how we’re going to play all the time and maybe it is not going to be Nick Pope.

“For his club he doesn’t necessarily always play that way and he plays well for his club so I don’t think that’s going to harm his chances of going to the World Cup.”