Newcastle United’s defeat in Marseille has sparked plenty of debate, but for many former professionals watching on, there was only one key moment that truly changed the game.
The team went into the Champions League clash with confidence after back-to-back wins in Europe, yet they once again fell short away from home in a match that demanded composure and control. Harvey Barnes’ early goal should have set the tone for a solid performance, but the evening quickly unravelled, and much of the blame has fallen on goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Stuart Pearce, who once wore the black and white shirt himself, was direct in his assessment of the loss. Speaking on the TalkSPORT Daily podcast, he made it clear that he believed Newcastle did not lose because they were outplayed, but because a single mistake changed everything.
He described the match as even, with both sides competing on equal terms, until the moment Pope rushed out recklessly and gifted Marseille an equaliser. Pearce did not try to soften his words or dance around the issue.
He said plainly that the defeat was “solely the mistake by the goalkeeper,” and he argued that it was this moment that shifted the entire mood inside the stadium and opened the door for Marseille to take control.
Pope’s error came just seconds after the second half began, and the impact was immediate. The home crowd came alive with a level of noise that shook the atmosphere, and the French side fed off that energy.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a striker who needs no invitation to punish uncertainty, took full advantage. His equaliser was followed only minutes later by the winning goal, and Newcastle never managed to settle again after that disastrous spell.
Eddie Howe tried to protect his goalkeeper after the match, reminding everyone that Pope had produced a big performance just days earlier in the win over Manchester City.
The manager spoke about the nature of the position, explaining that goalkeepers are always one moment away from criticism and always under a different kind of pressure compared to outfield players.
But the reality is that this was not a one-off. It was the third away game in a row where Pope made a costly mistake that directly led to the opposition scoring. At some point, the pattern becomes too clear to ignore.
Pearce’s comments may seem harsh, but they reflect what many supporters and analysts also saw. Newcastle’s away struggles are becoming a real concern, and moments like this are making things worse.
As soon as Aubameyang scored, the momentum shifted completely. Marseille sensed weakness, the crowd sensed opportunity, and Newcastle looked rattled. Even Pope himself looked shaken, trying to recover from the error but unable to lift the team back to where they had been before the restart.
The loss leaves Newcastle still in a decent position in their Champions League group, but there is no escaping the fact that their away form is turning into a genuine problem.
They have managed just one victory away from home all season, the 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise in Brussels. Every other match on the road has been marked by poor decision-making, dropped points, and costly individual errors. This latest defeat only deepens the feeling that Newcastle are not managing key moments well enough when they leave St James’ Park.
It raises an uncomfortable but necessary question about who should be the club’s first-choice goalkeeper going forward. Pope has been trusted for a long time, and his shot-stopping ability has helped Newcastle on many occasions.
But confidence is everything in goalkeeping, and his recent run of mistakes suggests that he is struggling. Aaron Ramsdale is waiting on the sidelines, ready for an opportunity, and many fans believe he deserves a chance to step in and take control.
Nothing is decided yet, and Howe has shown loyalty to Pope, but the pressure is building. Newcastle’s ambitions are growing, and so are the expectations.
If they want to compete at the highest level, they cannot afford to melt under pressure on the road or surrender leads through avoidable errors. The defeat in Marseille was another reminder that one moment can change everything, and right now, those moments are going against them.
