10 November 2024
Nott’m Forest 1 Newcastle 3
Nottingham Forest have had a start to the season that has surprised many, even their own fans. The pressure was starting to change now though as outsiders began to expect them to win matches, offering a different test for the side. Newcastle were the visitors to the City Ground as they tried to get their season back on track.
Talk around Nottingham had been about trying to get European football back to the city. That seemed bold from a side that had been embroiled in relegation battles of late, but you have to dream big. Eddie Howe’s side have a good record here, having won on their last three visits to the City Ground in the Premier League. They hoped that form would continue.
Both teams huffed and puffed early on and as Yates looked to get to the byline, Pope did well to block at the expense of a corner. The hosts won a free kick out wide and the delivery picked out Murillo at the near post. He headed home to score his first ever goal for the club. The ground erupted as the Brazilian wheeled away in celebration.
The Magpies needed to find an immediate reply. Guimaraes looked to bend one in the corner from outside the box. Sels got across his goal well to make the save. You felt he would have to be on top form if they were to get any sort of a result against this attacking Newcastle team. Confidence was high with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Moments later he was called into action again. The visitors were finding it all too easy to play through the Forest defence with their slick passing. It saw Burn one on one with the keeper at the back post but Sels made another good block to deny The Magpies. He celebrated like he had scored a goal himself, something the home fans love to see.
Into the second half, Newcastle continued to ask questions of the Forest defence. Gordon whipped an angled cross into the box but Sels got a hand on it to steer it clear of the goalmouth. As the visitors recycled it, Guimaraes tried an effort from the edge of the box on the outside of his right foot. It had the keeper beaten and narrowly shaved the top of the crossbar.
The hosts were offering very little in an attacking sense which put them under more pressure at the back. Gordon was having a good battle with Aina down the flank. As the defender made a good sliding tackle to stop a cross, it was at the expense of a corner. Forest were putting everything on the line to keep their slender lead.
As the corner came in, Wood challenged Longstaff for the header. It hit the Forest striker’s shoulder and dropped to Isak who swept the ball into the far corner. With plenty of time left in this game, The Magpies had got themselves back on level terms. They had been threatening for some time and it seemed there was only so long the hosts could hold out.
Nottingham Forest pressed forward looking to try and find a goal themselves. As the attack broke down, Newcastle hit them on the counter-attack. Gordon used his pace to stretch the hosts’ defence. He played it out wide to Willock, who put an inch perfect cross into the path of Isak. The Swede struck his volley well but it narrowly missed the far post. He should have scored.
Newcastle’s attacking play was causing all sorts of problems for Forest. Isak played the ball out wide to Joelinton, who cut inside onto his left foot. As he neared the edge of the box, he hit a curling shot into the far corner, clipping the inside of the post on its way in. It silenced the City Ground as the visitors took the lead for the first time in the game.
Nuno Esprito Santo’s side threw more players forward in search of an equaliser. When the move broke down, it allowed The Magpies to pick them off on the break. Simple one-touch passing to play through the press before Tonali ran forward. He laid it off to Barnes out wide. With two defenders in front of him, he checked onto his left foot and thundered his shot past Sels at the near post.
You could see from this game why the tactics against Liverpool worked better for this Forest team. When they come into games as the underdogs, they can get numbers behind the ball and only look to support attacks when they counter. In this match, they had to take the game to Newcastle. It left them open at the back and The Magpies exploited that with their pace.
Confidence was high at the City Ground, this defeat will bring them back to earth somewhat. Maybe it is the reality check Nuno Espirito Santo’s side needed in order to not get carried away with things. If they did and then went on a bad run of results, form could spiral. Now they have the international break to reflect on things and come back stronger.
Victory took Newcastle up to eighth place in the league, only one point behind Forest. Only three points separate eleventh and third currently, things could not be tighter. The big test for Nottingham Forest now is to see how they react to this result. When you are riding the crest of a wave, momentum carries you through to results. It is how you deal with adversity that strengthens you.
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