Nick Pope hurls a ball 65 yards to assist Harvey Barnes as Newcastle beat Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the first half with a sidefooted finish from Jacob Murphy’s cross before Harvey Barnes doubled the lead after that incredible throw from Nick Pope exploited a defensive error by Antonio Silva, then added a third late on, assisted by Gordon.
Benfica threatened but were denied by Pope’s save and a shot off the post, marking Newcastle’s first back-to-back Champions League wins since 2003.
Harvey Barnes brilliantly doubles Newcastle’s lead ๐ฅ
What about the assist from Nick Pope though…@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/0Ru1PeVht1
โ Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 21, 2025
That throw from Nick Pope has to be one of the best GK assists of all-time!
Look at this distance on that! ๐ต
60 YARDS!
We need to see this every week!
Forget the feet, forget the kicking.
HURL THE F*CKER LIKE THIS! ๐ #NUFC
pic.twitter.com/Xe1TISmvBVโ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐ป๐ฒ #NUFC (@ToonMouthTyne) October 21, 2025
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, speaking to TNT Sports:ย “I am really pleased. Benfica are a very good team so we had to show our quality. I thought we were patient, we had chances and didn’t score early but we kept at it. Once we scored our second goa, you saw thew real us and what we can be. I thought we were excellent afterwards.
When asked if this is the best squad he has assembled at the club:ย “We have strength, but it is on paper – you have to go and prove it. The squad last season won a trophy, we have to go to work and prove the strength of the squad warrants the feeling I have.
“We are full of good players, we haven’t quite clicked into gear yet but hopefully this is the start of what we can be.
On his wingers:ย “I am really pleased with all of them. Anthony was a real threat all game, dynamic and very aggressive. Jacob [Murphy] has always been an assist threat and today he was absolutely that. I am really pleased for Harvey [Barnes] to come on and get two like he did – off the right side as well which shows his versatility.
On Nick Pope’s assist:ย “I can’t take credit for that! We are working on a few things with Nick with his distribution and his throwing is a big strength of his. He is a very good goalkeeper and he showed that today.
On Lewis Miley:ย “He did really well. For me, he has all the attributes to be whatever he wants to be, in various roles. His technical quality is a massive gain for the club.
“He is open enough to want help and guidance [from Tonali, Guimaraes etc.] but quite rightly he sees himself on the same level as them. He is competing with them for places.”
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe was also asked about the club’s new sporting director Ross Wilson:ย “I am really excited by what Ross can bring the footbal club. He has a wealth of experince at huge clubs.
“From our perspective, we need to build the infrastructure and the process is to make sure we are successful in the long term. Ross will be a huge part of that – transfer policies, academy, the women’s game and making sure we move in the right direction.”
Newcastle goalsocrer Harvey Barnes, speaking to TNT Sports:ย “Last season we weren’t in Europe and that hurt the players – this is what we want to be in, there is nothing better.
“A few times when we have gone ahead in games we have not quite gone for that second or third goal and it has cost us. This is when we are at our best – playing attacking football with the crowd behind us. The third goal killed the game off which was important.”
Anthony Gordon added:ย “It means everything [to be the first Newcastle player to score in three consecutive Champions League games] but we need more, my ambition doesn’t stop there.
“Because we had so many chances, we had to put one away to calm the nerves. I was glad to see it go in. Playing with [Jacob] Murphy, I knew he was going to play that ball every time. That goal is all about him.
“We all love [Nick] Pope. He is one of the most popular people in the dressing room he is a top guy and a top keeper. He has kept us in so many game already this season and some of the saves he made were incredible.
Here’s how fans reacted as Nick Pope hurls the ball 65 yards to assist Harvey Barnes as Newcastle beat Benfica…
@HLTCO: Youโve got to rate that rocket launcher of a throw from Nick Pope for Newcastleโs second.
@tinysima: Itโs that celebration between Botman, Thiaw and Pope PURE LOVE
@JJDLCFC: God I miss that bow and arrow ๐ฅบ
@liam50741995: Nah that throw is outrageous ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ
@Slaughts_1: What an assist that is btw. ๐
@RobertGlen3: How to play it out from the back ๐๐ป
@slong5 : Iโll be dreaming about this one tonight
@iamlukedavidson: Nick Popes hands > feet
@AddictTail: Pope haters drowning in piss right now๐คฃ what a fucking throw
@snavelevans: Petition for us to be allowed goal throws rather than goal kicks. Fuck me what an assist.
@Lainedil_NUFC: Currently on more G/A in the Champions League than a certain Swedish striker. ๐๐ป๐ค๐ค
@Emily_Louise66: I need to know where the fuck his ability to throw like that came from! #NUFC
@dwoodley1990: The assist from Nick Pope is ridiculous
@cam_nufc: Highlight of the night was Nick Pope with the best assist Iโve ever seen with his hands and then 2 minutes later watching him boot it out into the east stand from a goal kick ๐ญ๐ญ
Some arm on big Pope ๐ช pic.twitter.com/xkSS6P1DgW
โ Bryan Stevenson (@Bryan1892nufc) October 21, 2025
https://t.co/32O4uuxLYi pic.twitter.com/KzX1rHXdt1
โ FourFourTwo (@FourFourTwo) October 21, 2025
Nick Pope just fucking launching it!… pic.twitter.com/fRr3uGaffk
โ Manxpie (@manxpie86) October 22, 2025
Made up for Nick Pope.
Yes, heโs awful with the ball at his feet, but he made two big saves today and THAT assist was another massive moment, especially after such a similar throw out saw him get pelters post-Arsenal. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/PMGznadg1q
โ Olly Hawkins (@Olly_Hawk) October 21, 2025
๐๐ pic.twitter.com/QauzWXYjBr
โ H.Mโฝ๏ธ (@Q1UUU) October 21, 2025
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