Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest Preview

• Draw or Newcastle win
• Isak to score

Two sides chasing European football collide at St. James’ Park, as a wounded Newcastle United look to bounce back from recent struggles when they host a high-flying Nottingham Forest side six points above them in the table.

Eddie Howe’s men have lost three of their last four league matches (W1, L3), while back-to-back home league defeats mean Newcastle could suffer three successive home league losses for the first time since 2021.

A 2-0 EFL Cup semi-final win over Arsenal at this venue should provide them with some confidence, but they need to translate that into Premier League form to revive their top-four push.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest have been one of the league’s surprise packages this season. A record-breaking 7-0 win against Brighton was followed by a 2-1 loss to Fulham, showing their inconsistency, but they remain third in the table.

They won 3-1 here last season, and another win would further solidify their UEFA Champions League qualification credentials.

With Forest leading the league in opening goals (19) but struggling when conceding first, this clash could be decided early on.

Newcastle United: Can They Stop Their Slide?

After a solid start to the season, Newcastle have hit a rough patch, with three defeats in four Premier League games.

Losing consecutive home matches has been particularly damaging, and they must avoid making it three straight home losses for the first time under Eddie Howe.

Why Newcastle Fans Can Be Hopeful

• Unbeaten in league matches against teams starting the round in the top three (W2, D1).
• Defeated Arsenal 2-0 at home in their last cup match.
• Alexander Isak has scored in every Premier League H2H vs Forest.

Recent Form (Last Five Matches in All Competitions)

• EFL Cup: Newcastle 2-0 Arsenal – W
• Premier League: Bournemouth 2-0 Newcastle – L
• Premier League: Newcastle 1-2 Leicester – L
• Premier League: West Ham 3-2 Newcastle – L
• Premier League: Newcastle 2-1 Brentford – W

Key Player: Alexander Isak

• Scored in every Premier League H2H vs Nottingham Forest.
• Needs to rediscover his form after failing to score in his last three league games.
• Newcastle’s top scorer this season and their biggest attacking threat.

Nottingham Forest: Can They Build Consistency?

Nottingham Forest remain third in the table, but their 2-1 loss to Fulham after a record 7-0 win over Brighton shows their erratic form.

They are still well-placed for Champions League football, but they need to show consistency away from home, having lost their last two away league matches, conceding seven goals in the process.

Why Forest Fans Can Be Hopeful

• Won 3-1 at St. James’ Park last season.
• Scored first in more games (19) than any other Premier League team.
• Morgan Gibbs-White in fantastic creative form (9 goal contributions in 11 games).

Recent Form (Last Five Matches in All Competitions)

• FA Cup: Exeter 2-2 Nottingham Forest (Forest won on penalties) – W
• Premier League: Fulham 2-1 Nottingham Forest – L
• Premier League: Nottingham Forest 7-0 Brighton – W
• Premier League: Bournemouth 1-0 Nottingham Forest – L
• Premier League: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Tottenham – W

Key Player: Morgan Gibbs-White

• 9 goal contributions in his last 11 league matches (G4, A5).
• Has never scored against Newcastle but remains Forest’s creative heartbeat.
• Likely to be Forest’s main attacking outlet.

Head-to-Head Record (Last Six Meetings in All Competitions)

Key Trends

• Newcastle have won their last three Premier League meetings with Forest.
• Forest won 3-1 at St. James’ Park last season.
• Both teams have scored in all 11 managerial H2Hs involving Nuno Espírito Santo and Newcastle.

Tactical Insights

Newcastle’s Approach

• Use home advantage to start aggressively.
• Rely on Alexander Isak’s movement to break Forest’s backline.
• Defend solidly early on, as Forest thrive when scoring first.

Forest’s Approach

• Continue their trend of scoring first to unsettle Newcastle.
• Use Gibbs-White’s creativity to exploit Newcastle’s defensive gaps.
• Stay compact defensively, knowing Newcastle’s home form can be dangerous.

Match Prediction

With both sides in need of a victory to strengthen their European qualification bids, expect a fierce battle at St. James’ Park.

Newcastle have been poor recently, but their home form and dominance against top-three sides this season suggest they could edge this. Forest’s away struggles also hint at a tough afternoon for Nuno Espírito Santo’s men.

Final Score Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 Nottingham Forest

• Isak to return to scoring form.
• Gibbs-White to provide a key assist.
• Newcastle’s top-four hopes get a boost.

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Newcastle v Nottm Forest, 2024/25 | Premier League