Newcastle handed Nottingham Forest only their second Premier League defeat of the season with a thrilling 3-1 comeback victory at the City Ground. Forest entered the match hoping to notch their fourth consecutive top-flight win, a feat they hadn’t achieved since 1995, and looked on course to do so after taking the lead in the first half.
The breakthrough for Forest came in the 21st minute when Murillo, scoring his first-ever senior goal, rose above Alexander Isak to head home Anthony Elanga’s well-delivered free-kick, beating Nick Pope at close range. With that goal, Forest continued their impressive streak of scoring first, having opened the scoring in 10 of their last 11 matches. However, they struggled to hold onto their advantage as Newcastle mounted an energized response after the break.
Alexander Isak made amends for his role in Forest’s opener when he capitalized on a loose ball from a corner, calmly slotting home the equalizer in the 54th minute. Newcastle’s momentum continued to build, and they went ahead in style when Joelinton unleashed a stunning left-footed shot that curled in off the post, putting the visitors in front in the 72nd minute.
Despite an injury setback that forced Anthony Gordon off the pitch, substitute Harvey Barnes quickly made an impact, scoring just three minutes after coming on. Barnes showed precision and control, firing a shot through the legs of Nikola Milenkovic to beat Matz Sels at the near post in the 83rd minute, securing Newcastle’s lead.
This spirited victory lifts Newcastle to eighth place in the table, while Nottingham Forest remain in third, awaiting the result of the Chelsea vs. Arsenal clash in the upcoming Super Sunday showdown.
