Centurion Pope Seeks Another Red Letter Day

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Clarets keeper relishes Anfield return as Clarets bid to end Liverpool run

2021-01-21T11:24:06.504Z

Centurion Pope Seeks Another Red Letter Day

Clarets keeper relishes Anfield return as Clarets bid to end Liverpool run

2021-01-21T11:24:06.504Z

Clarets keeper relishes Anfield return as Clarets bid to end Liverpool run

Nick Pope is hoping for another big date at Anfield after joining the Clarets’ 100-club.

Pope chalked up a century of Burnley appearances at West Ham last Saturday and will make his 100th start for the club against Liverpool on Thursday night.

And the goalkeeper admits it’s a landmark he’s delighted to have reached after signing from Charlton Athletic in July, 2016 and making his Clarets’ debut in a League Cup loss at Accrington Stanley a month later.

“When I made my first appearance, 100 seemed a long way away and to finally get there I’m really happy. It was a proud moment,” said Pope.

Centurion Pope Seeks Another Red Letter Day - Image 1

“To reach 100 is a great milestone and something I’m really pleased about.

“Ever since I came to the club I felt really welcomed by the other lads and the staff and the fans, so to reach 100 games for the club is great.

“To get 100 games for any club is not easy, so to have that with a club in the Premier League I’m over the moon.”

Pope had to wait for his Premier League debut with England internationals Tom Heaton and Paul Robinson above him in the Turf Moor pecking order when he first arrived from the Championship.

But after replacing an injured Heaton for his first taste of top-flight football in September, 2017, Pope announced his arrival on the big stage with a stand-out performance when he started at Liverpool the following week and helped the Clarets earn their first point at Anfield since 1974.

Bar an injury-hit 2018/19 campaign, the 28-year-old has never looked back in becoming Burnley’s number-one and winning England caps of his own.

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And he heads back to Merseyside with fond memories after another magnificent performance last season helped secure a 1-1 draw against the champions and extended his own personal unbeaten record at Liverpool.

“For me to go there twice and come back with two draws are only good things to take,” Pope told Clarets +

“It was pretty daunting at the time, thinking you’re going to make your full (Premier League) debut away at Anfield.

“To come through that with a great result and a good performance gave me confidence to grow my career from there.

“That was a massive milestone I’d say in my career.

“Then at the back end of last season to be the only team to get a point from Anfield was great and I think that’s something we can look back on with pride.

“We put in a great performance that day and we could have nicked it.

“Hopefully this time there’s more of the same.”

PL PREVIEW: Burnley v Liverpool - Image 5

Liverpool – currently sitting fourth in this season’s title race after failing to win in four league games or find the net in their last three – are unbeaten in 68 home league matches in a run stretching back almost four years.

But the Clarets did puncture the Reds’ 100 per cent record last season en route to their first title in 30 years.

And even though Sean Dyche’s side head back to Liverpool after successive 1-0 defeats which have seen them slip to 17th-place in the table, Pope believes the Clarets are close to turning things back in their favour.

“We’ve done some good things recently without getting a result, so it’s about keeping those good things and turning the corner and the results will come,” added the keeper, who has kept six clean sheets this season and conceded just five goals in his last 10 appearances.

“We’re still feeling good. I think performance-wise we’re not far away from turning the good performances into good performances with points.

“Mentally we are in a good place. We’ve just got to take that onto Thursday and realise the margins are small.

“One-goal defeats could easily have been different, and it will turn for us if we keep doing the right things.”