Pep Guardiola's timely Nick Pope message as Gareth Southgate watches Newcastle United stars

Pep Guardiola says England have an 'incredible' goalkeeper in Nick Pope after the shot-stopper's performance in Sunday's 3-3 draw at St. James' Park. The Newcastle United star frustrated Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland with some top saves during the frantic Premier League tie.

Pope has started the season in fine form, keeping clean sheets in the opening two Premier League games against Nottingham Forest and Brighton. The 30-year-old picked a good day for a show-stopping performance against City with England boss Gareth Southgate in attendance for Newcastle 's third league tie.

"We score two more goals and in general we create a lot of chances, clear one-on-ones against Pope," Guardiola said. "He had an excellent performance, like in the Brighton game. England has an incredible goalkeeper there."

Pope will have ambitions of claiming the Three Lions' No 1 jersey at the World Cup as he battles Everton's Jordan Pickford at national level. The former Burnley stopper was dropped by Southgate before earning a recall early in 2022.

"Nick was, I think, slightly under par, right at the beginning of the season, I think his performances from then on have been good and strong," Southgate said back in March.

"We know what he’s about, so he’s a very good goalkeeper, and I know Sean Dyche obviously has a view on all of that, but it’s great to have him back in the squad.”

Southgate was in attendance alongside Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi, Darren Eales and Yasir Al-Rumayyan at St. James' Park. The England boss will also have had an eye on the likes of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Callum Wilson and City's Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones.

Trippier did his World Cup 2022 chances no harm with a