21 mins Joe Willock
flattened Anthony Elanga just outside the right hand side of the Newcastle box
at the Bridgford End. The Swedish winger knocked in a simple free kick that the
unmarked Murillo directed into the net with a downward header from six yards.
0-1
Half time: Forest 1 Newcastle 0
54 mins Anthony Gordon's
progress to the left hand byline was prevented by Ola Aina at the cost of a
corner kick. Gordon delivered that right-footed towards Sean Longstaff in a
central position on the edge of the six yard box and although Chris Wood claimed
made first contact, the ball dropped nicely for Alexander Isak to stab a
first-time right-footed shot in via the far post.
A brief VAR check disproved an alleged Longstaff handball.
1-1
72 mins Hall's touch on the
left edge of his own box gave Tonali a pass to run on to, with Bruno Guimaraes
appearing in front of him to shield the ball as Yates advanced. Tonali gathered
the ball and motored over halfway down the left channel, playing it infield to
Isak. He in turn sprayed a pass out to the right where Joelinton was
racing forward with Livramento overlapping to his right.
With Alex Moreno backing off and Elanga making a half-hearted attempt at
blocking him, United's number 7 needed no further encouragement to move into the
box and thump a delicious curling effort with his left foot that ended up in the
bottom left hand corner of the goal. Bedlam ensued. 2-1
83 mins A triangular passing move
involving Harvey Barnes, Hall and Guimaraes outside the left of United's own box
saw the visiting captain push upfield following a subtle touch from Barnes that
took Yates out of the picture.
Tonali again took up the running down the left into the opposition half with
Barnes on the overlap outside him. Reaching the box, the Italian played a pass
into the path of Harvey Barnes, who moved infield to evade Nikola
Milenkovic and Elliot Anderson but unleashed a low shot that beat Sels at his
near post, rather than the expected raker into the opposite corner of the goal.
3-1
The Archers
Full time: Forest 1 Newcastle 3
Celebrating
three years at United, Eddie Howe said:
"It was difficult but we knew it would be. They are a
difficult team to play against because they don’t concede many
chances and you’re left fearing the worst when you go behind.
"We had work to do at half time but credit to the players
because the second half was up there with our best performances this
season.
"Everything we didn’t do in the first half
we did at the start of the second half. We were intense and direct
with our attacking. We asked more questions and could have scored.
I’m really pleased with the second half.
"We need our attacking players to contribute goals and Alex (Isak)
has done that in the past few weeks with massive moments, then
Joelinton and Harvey Barnes pop up with moments too. We know we have
players who can make that difference and I’m really pleased with
that side of our game.
"Harvey Barnes did what he does. He’s an outstanding
player. Trying to find room for him in the team is something that I
am conscious of. I’m really pleased he got that goal – I thought
it was a fantastic finish.
"Hopefully they are a significant three points for us. We
desperately didn’t want to fall flat today. It is a tough ground
and team to play and to come from behind as well, it’s a really
good day for us.
"I felt we were slightly inconsistent – I wasn’t that
happy with our first-half performance. It was a bit slow and not
direct enough. The passing was a bit sideways.
"Credit to the players for the second half because that is
everything we want to be. I thought we deserved to win.
"I wanted to see more energy and more sprinting and more
direct duels. We were turning down opportunities to attack and that
isn’t like us and it suited Nottingham Forest.
"Joelinton is like gold dust because wherever you put him
you know he’s going to do a good job. His attitude never changes
in training. He’s playing in different positions so he has to do
the training. I’m really pleased again with his performance.
"The Premier League is really, really tight this season
and you need consistent victories and it can really elevate you.
Everyone is searching for a formula that guarantees them victories.
"We’ve looked much more like ourselves in the past few games.
I still feel there is more to come and we can improve, and we’ve
got room to improve.
"We needed some momentum. We always say how quickly football
can change and your fortunes can turn.
"So three wins and there is a totally different feel
about the team. I’m really pleased today because an away game,
going 1-0 down to come back and win in the way that we did, I think
is a big moment for us.
"We probably don’t want an international break at this
moment in time but it’s there and we have got an extended break as
well because we play on the Monday, not the Saturday, when we come
back.
"So players will go away, we go to Saudi Arabia, we come
back but we try and keep the feeling that we have now.
“We know that we’re in a good position and we’re
building our season but we have some key games to come.”
On Anthony Gordon’s injury:
"It looks like a similar problem to one he had a few weeks ago
with his hip. We hope it’s not serious but I don’t know yet,
I’ve not spoken to him.
"I’d say he’s a doubt (for England) because
he’s come off.”
On Dan Burn's booking that followed the unpunished assault on
Tino Livramento:
"It’s very rare you see me run to the fourth official but I
thought Tino had been elbowed in the face and it was a clear
free-kick, it wasn’t given and Dan paid the price for that really
because he feels like he has to make the foul in that moment,"
Nuno Espirito Santo said:
"We played a good team and they played
really well, they were strong. We started well and controlled the first half,
even though they created problems.
"We had a good chance before their
first goal and then through the second half it became more difficult. There was
less space when we were level and then the counter-attack was vital for
Newcastle.
"We rushed a little bit in our
decisions and started putting crosses into the box and allowing Newcastle to
create danger. That is normal when you’re losing. There are a lot of lessons
for us.
"We taste something today that we’ve
been doing this season with the counter-attack and taking advantage of speed.
They have very good players and we suffered there.
"It is a lesson for us. We cannot say anything about our players. We gave
everything that we have. We have to recognise today that Newcastle were the
better team. They were very effective.
"We have to be proud of our effort against a good team. It is a very, very
good league.
"I cannot say that was a bad
performance, that is totally out of the question. We played against a very good
team that was able to control us and then hurt us in the way we’ve been doing.
It is a lesson for us to learn.
"I just have to recognise that today we played a good team, who were better
than us in many, many moments. There’s nothing to say about the players, the
character and belief was there.
"I always say that we should enjoy and
be proud of the way we are operating as a club. We want to grow in a very tough
competition. We don’t want to create an obligation of us. We are focusing on
ourselves and improving as a team.
"We are going to regroup and go again and ignoring the same things: the
table and the noise around us."
Newcastle are now unbeaten in their last nine top-flight visits to the
City Ground, winning four and drawing three in the Premier League plus one win
and one draw in the old First Division.
United's last top-flight loss on the banks of the Trent was back in May
1987, when Willie McFaul's side were defeated 1-2 on the final day of the
season. Gazza was on target for the Magpies.
Alexander Isak found the net for a fourth consecutive game in all
competitions; his 35th Premier League goal for Newcastle takes him one
clear of Rob Lee and leaves him two behind Papiss Cisse and Nolberto Solano in
the club's all-time scoring charts.
Harvey Barnes now has nine PL goals for the Magpies, today's effort the
sixth scored after arriving from the bench.
Joelinton netted his 20th Newcastle goal in that competition, four more
than fellow Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes and three short of Miguel Almiron's total.
Isak and Barnes are the club's joint PL top scorers so far this season with four
apiece.
The Magpies scored three times in the PL for the first time this season.
They last netted that many in last season's final day 4-2 win at Brentford, when
they also netted three goals in one half, as was the case today.
United scored three times in the second half of a PL away game for the
first time since grabbing five after the break in an 8-0 win at Sheffield United
in September 2023.
Newcastle @ City Ground - PL era:
2024/25 won 3-1 Isak, Joelinton, Barnes
2024/25 drew 1-1 Willock (won 4-3 on pens) (LC)
2023/24 won 3-2 Guimaraes 2, Schar
2022/23 won 2-1 Isak 2
2018/19 lost 1-3 Rondon (LC)
2016/17 lost 1-2 Ritchie (Ch)
2011/12 won 4-3 Lovenkrands 2, Colo, Simpson (LC)
2009/10 lost 0-1 (Ch)
2002/03 lost 1-3 Viana (FR)
1998/99 won 2-1 Shearer, Hamann
1996/97 drew 0-0
1995/96 lost 5-6 Ferdinand 2, Guinan, Barton, KK (FR)
1995/96 drew 1-1 Beardsley
1994/95 drew 0-0
Dan Burn's fifth PL booking of the season means that he'll miss the West Ham
home game due to suspension. Joelinton and Fabian Schar both remain a yellow
card away from one game bans.
|
Waffle |
Second half strikes from Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Harvey
Barnes saw an unchanged Newcastle side rightfully convert a half time deficit
into victory at the City Ground on Sunday.
The Premier League's form side Forest lined up in search of their fourth
successive victory; October's player of the month Chris Wood up front and last
month's managerial gong winner Nuno Espirito Santo returning to the dugout after
his ban.
Wood was one of a trio of SJP old boys involved for the hosts, starting along
with former Newcastle goalkeeper Matz Sels. Elliot Anderson then arrived as a
second half substitute, but was unable to prevent his former employers from
leaving with maximum points.
Seeking their fourth successive top-flight win at Forest and a fourth in all
competitions, United had the better of the opening 45 minutes but went in
trailing to Murillo's 21st minute header - a goal which put home fans in such
fine fettle they were "ole!"ing passes by the end of the first
half.
Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes were both denied by Sels and Anthony Gordon fired
over but some over-elaboration in the final third at times cost United, along
with decidedly average deliveries.
Incredibly, Forest had been allowed to continue with 11 men after their captain
and chief thug Ryan Yates blatantly elbowed Tino Livramento in the face early in
the game. Referee Anthony Taylor viewed the incident from a few yards away and
played on while VAR also ignored clear evidence.
Livramento received lengthy treatment for a mouth injury and resumed clutching a
tissue to mop up the blood. The incident also resulted in Burn's booking
(invoking his ban), pointedly informing the referee why he'd acted to stop play
in the absence of an onfield decision or VAR intervention.
The visitors seized the initiative in the second half and relentless pressure on
the Forest goal paid off within nine minutes when Anthony Gordon's left wing
corner was knocked down by Wood and swept home via a post by Alexander Isak -
a set piece goal a rarity for United this season until today.
Isak then wastefully volleyed another chance wide, but the Newcastle fans behind
the goal that Sels was unsuccessfully guarding were bouncing for joy once again
on 72 minutes, Joelinton's strong forward run and precise curling finish beating
the 'keeper all ends up.
The black and whites looked in no mood to surrender their lead; further
extending it on 83 minutes after another sweeping forward move ended with Barnes
squeezing a shot in between Sels and his near post. By the end a two goal
advantage probably flattered Forest, this could have been 5-1.
Three points left United eighth in the table; just one point behind third-placed
Chelsea in a congested league where no less than 11 sides lie within four points
of each other between third and 13 places.
They couldn't have found form at better time; completing a trio of league and
cup victories that frankly looked unlikely in the aftermath of defeat at
Stamford Bridge a fortnight earlier. Six points collected from Arsenal and
Forest leave Howe's side with 18 from 11 games, mirroring the total after that
same number of games in 2022/23 - when a Wembley visit and fourth place were
secured.
Having suffered a collective downturn in form earlier this season, improved
performances across the park are now evident, particularly from the future
England full back pairing and a midfield with renewed vigour and genuine
competition for places. What was toothless a month ago now has bite.
And at the centre of it all lies the resumption of goal output Isak, adding a
tangible end product to our rediscovered intensity. Let's just hope that the
Slovakians and Azerbaijanis he'll face next week for Sweden are more artful than
Forest's hatchet man Yates.
Biffa