Nick Pope has cleared up the Ronaldo row that left Old Trafford fans fuming on Sunday.
The goalkeeper remained motionless as the Manchester United legend nicked the ball off him before rounding him and slotting home before the whole Red Devils team surrounded Craig Pawson appealing for a goal. But Pope explained the situation and told Chronicle Live: "The free-kick was slightly in the wrong place and obviously Fabby's (Schar) rolled it back to me and walked off. "I think you know by everyone's body language that you know he's not meaning to take a free-kick.
"I think the referee sorted it out quickly and fair play to him for making the right decision and squashed it straight away."
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Yet Newcastle's hard work on the day almost went up in smoke as a free header from Marcus Rashford flew wide. Pope described his feelings at the time and said: "I just thought: 'Please go wide!' It was an unbelievable ball in [from Casemiro] to be fair and he's gone to head it across me and thankfully it's gone a couple of inches wide."
The stalemate against Man United, however, shows real progress for the Magpies not least after last year's 4-1 hammering at the hands of Ronaldo and co.
Pope said: "They had a couple of chances and so did we but it's just that final third, that final pass, that final shot we didn't quite get right and that's why we've not scored. But there's definitely tinges of disappointment that it wasn't three points.
"The Premier League throws up different games most weeks so it's good to have that character in the bag that we can call upon when we need it. "You'll go through stages in the season where you're under the cosh a little bit, especially away to the big teams so to keep a clean sheet and show that resilience is a real plus."
Eyebrows were raised when Martin Dubravka was allowed to depart St James' Park to go to Man United on loan. But Pope has made the number 1 spot his own on Tyneside.
And he can now boast being the man partly responsible for having the best defensive record in the Prem.
Pope said: "Of course it's pleasing, that's what we're here to do, goalkeepers and defenders, limit the goals you concede. You want to keep clean sheets and in that we've done okay so far but we need to keep that going."
United now move towards Everton when it will be a battle of the England stoppers with Jordan Pickford and Pope set to battle it out for the right to be World Cup number 1.
Pope says the feeling going into the game is good, he said: "Of course, it's a good point, there's still a very good feeling in the group and a good feeling coming here to [Old Trafford] which is probably why there is a slight disappointment in the end result. But I've still got that good feeling now and we'll take that into Wednesday and like I say, with the home fans, it'll be a good occasion I'm sure.
"I'm looking forward to playing under the lights at St James', it's always a great occasions and I'm looking forward to that game coming again."
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