Nottingham Forest have often looked to operate at a level that Newcastle United aspires to reach, but in their recent visit to the City Ground, the Magpies showed they too have the potential to compete at the highest level. With a determined second-half comeback, Newcastle secured a 3-1 victory, drawing within a point of Forest in the Premier League standings.
The game unfolded in dramatic fashion, with Newcastle turning around a first-half deficit. Forest had started strongly, using their counter-attacking style to stifle Newcastle’s attack. Early on, Chris Wood, a former Newcastle player now at Forest, played a key role in the hosts’ lead. From an Anthony Elanga free-kick, Wood made a dummy run that allowed Murillo to head home his first professional goal, putting Forest ahead. The Brazilian’s header capped off a set-piece that also highlighted the quality of Forest’s recent recruitment, with players like Murillo adding depth to their squad.
Despite Forest’s early lead, Newcastle were far from defeated. They had shown grit and determination under Eddie Howe, and their response came after halftime. The Magpies returned to the pitch with renewed fire and tactical adjustments. Howe switched Anthony Gordon to the left wing and moved Joelinton to the right, sparking a change in their attacking intensity.
The equalizer arrived in the 58th minute after a well-worked corner. Matz Sels, Forest’s goalkeeper and a former Newcastle player, had been tested early in the match but had kept his team ahead with a fine save from Bruno Guimarães. However, as Newcastle piled on the pressure, the breakthrough came from an unexpected source. Chris Wood, in the thick of things once again, inadvertently assisted Alexander Isak’s goal. A corner from the right found Wood’s head, and his flick on fell to Isak, who calmly slotted the ball past Sels to draw the game level.
The game shifted decisively in Newcastle’s favor from that point. Forest, having shown glimpses of danger through their counter-attacks, started to lose their grip on the match. One notable moment saw Nicolás Domínguez break through the midfield and have an opportunity to put Forest back in front, but Newcastle’s goalkeeper Nick Pope made a crucial save to deny him.
With the match evenly poised, Howe made his changes. Sandro Tonali was introduced, and his impact was immediate. A superb assist from Tonali to Harvey Barnes, another late substitute, allowed Barnes to score the decisive goal. Cutting inside from the left, Barnes fired a powerful shot past Sels, securing the three points for Newcastle and sending the away fans into jubilant celebrations.
For Forest, the defeat was a bitter one, and their frustration was evident as the game wore on. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side had worked hard in the first half to stifle Newcastle’s attacks, but the second-half performance from the Magpies was too much to handle. The counterattacking style that had served them well early in the match became increasingly ineffective as Newcastle’s intensity grew.
The atmosphere at the City Ground was charged throughout, with both sets of fans vocal in their support of their teams. The referee, Anthony Taylor, was the subject of much displeasure from the home supporters, adding an extra layer of tension to an already heated encounter. Yet, despite the contentious moments, it was Newcastle who proved the more composed side in the second half, with their attacking prowess eventually overwhelming Forest.
The win is a significant one for Newcastle as they continue to push for a higher league position. They have now shown that they are capable of fighting back when under pressure, and with players like Isak, Barnes, and Tonali contributing, they look poised to challenge the established order. Forest, on the other hand, will have to regroup after a promising start to the season. While their defensive solidity and counter-attacking threat were evident, they were unable to hold onto their advantage, highlighting the fine margins that separate success and failure at this level.
In the end, it was a performance that displayed both the resilience of Newcastle and the vulnerability of Forest. The Magpies, having taken a while to find their rhythm, demonstrated their class in the second half, ensuring the three points and giving them a boost in their pursuit of the Premier League’s upper echelons.
