Newcastle keeper Pope not giving up on England

Newcastle United shot stopper Nick Pope has a Champions League ambition this week.

The England international wants to shut out Kylian Mbappe and co as his Magpies take on Paris Saint-Germain.

Pope faced 42 shots in away games against Milan and Borussia Dortmund in the group stages this season.

Pope said on the national team: I've got to make it impossible for Gareth to leave me out in the future. It's down to me. I've not had any conversations (with Southgate) to be honest.

He's got a lot of players to look after and other things on his mind, he can't always be focused on individual players who aren't in the squad.

It's just motivation to do better. I don't look anywhere else other than myself in the mirror. I want to be back in the England squad, I want to be going to a major tournament at the end of the season. I'm not in the squad, but that's down to myself. That's the way I look at it.

There hasn't been any fall out. I don't think so I had to have surgery on my finger after the Leicester game which was six months overdue to be honest. So, no, there hasn't been anything like that (a fall out).

My form has been ok, I've been really happy but obviously there are still little things I think I could have done better. There is always room for improvement."