Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Woltemade kept the good times rolling for Newcastle United, who piled pain on Nottingham Forest via a 2-0 win at St. James’ Park on Saturday.
WATCH — Newcastle v Nottingham Forest full replay
The Magpies beat Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0 midweek in the UEFA Champions League, and overcame a stiff first-half challenge from ex-pal Mats Selz as under-fire Forest boss Ange Postecoglou surprised with a back three.
Newcastle jump into 11th place with nine points, three points off fifth and four off the top four.
Forest stay 17th with five points.
Not the day to fire Ange Postecoglou, who sounds defiant
No one knows what Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is thinking on a given result, but the idea that Ange Postecoglou needs to go shouldn’t be based on this game. Both teams were coming of European midweeks and Newcastle were at home on a day’s more rest than the visitors. Postecoglou switched up his formation and held the Magpies at bay before the hosts made the most of their in-form attack. Chris Wood is ice cold for Forest and Morgan Gibbs-White is far from his best. The only reason for a change is if Postecoglou has problems in the team room. Forest overachieved with Nuno Espirito Santo last season and Marinakis sacking him is likely a bigger reason for struggles than anything Postecoglou’s done. But this is the Premier League and strings like this get been pulled to full unravel all the time.
After the game, Postecoglou was asked how he feels about the situation. He doesn’t sound like a man concerning himself with job status.
“Where it always is. here,” he said. “It’s alright. It’s a struggle. It’s a fight. There’s nothing wrong with that. I could’ve been sitting on the couch watching you guys but I prefer to be here in the middle of the fight.”
Nick Woltemade continues to impress
Alexander Isak’s slow start to life at Liverpool might be making Nick Woltemade’s arrival at Newcastle more impressive, but the gigantic German is showing a complete skill set at center forward and may soon be a cult hero himself on Tyneside. Woltemade uses his big frame so well and is so strong in traffic. His hold-up play is ideal and may prove to be elite, and his penalty Sunday was perfectly-dispatched “where the spiders live in that top corner” — what a commentary note on the broadcast. The 23-year-old has goals in three-straight games and four goals overall in five starts and two sub appearances. It’s really, really promising stuff and all before Yoane Wissa enters the fray to give Eddie Howe more options with when and how to deploy Woltemade.
What’s next?
Forest go to Chelsea after the international break, a 7:30am ET kickoff on October 18. Newcastle go to Brighton at 10am the same day.
How to watch Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 9 am ET, Sunday
Venue: St. James’ Park — Newcastle
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live on NBC.com
Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest final score: 2-0
Bruno Guimaraes 59', Nick Woltemade pen 84'
Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest live updates — by Nick Mendola
Nick Woltemade penalty goal — Newcastle 2-0 Forest.
Elliot Anderson takes down former teammate Guimaraes and it’s a penalty.
Woltemade roots Sels to the spot and roofs the ball.
2-0, 84'
Lots going on here
Subs a-plenty.
Forest had replaced Yates, Wood, and Dan Ndoye with Omari Hutchinson, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Igor Jesus.
Newcastle opts for Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes for Murphy and Gordon.
Tonali nearly has Newcastle up 2-0 and it feels like a spurned chance or three could burn the Magpies when Omari Hutchinson is felled in the box at the other end but he’s offside.
Forest then brings in Dilane Bakwa for Morato.
Exhale.
Bruno Guimaraes goal — Newcastle United 1-0 Nottingham Forest
Bruno pokes the ball away from a dawdling Morgan Gibbs-White, clobbering the midfielder in the process.
Dan Burn drives play down the left and squares for Bruno Guimaraes, who spins a gorgeous shot over a flying Sels.
No reprieve for Gibbs-White and the Tricky Trees. 1-0.
Close!
Anthony Gordon decides to dribble with speed down the left and sends a cross which is blocked by Morato to Woltemade.
The forward reacts well to snap his volley across goal, as he’s got Sels beaten but not a lunging, recovering Morato.
*We’ve corrected Murillo to Morato. Murillo, of course, is on the bench.
No changes at the break
We’re back.
Halftime — Newcastle United 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest defending well with plenty of big blocks, and Newcastle have labored with the final ball despite the best efforts of very bright Nick Woltemade and industrious Joelinton.
The Tricky Trees’ leaders have been those of the combustible variety in Yates and Williams but their statuses as yellow-bearing players could be an issue. Sels and Elliot Anderson have also impressed on their latest returns to St. James’ Park.
Shots are 6-1 to the Magpies but the xG danger has amounted to just 0.50. Let’s see how and if Postecoglou adapts at the break, with Murillo, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Igor Jesus on the bench.
Decent watch gets spicy
Yellows for Ryan Yates and Neco Williams as the game steps up a notch.
The danger’s been limited to Newcastle’s two aforementioned chances but both teams want to play and it’s been a good show so far.
0-0, 38'.
Selz vs Joelinton again
Kieran Trippier whips a corner from the right to the back left of the box, where Sven Botman loops a header back over the mix.
Joelinton rises high and looks set to push a contested header over the line but Sels claws it back.
Matz Sels save
Kieran Trippier finds a late-arriving Joelinton run just beyond the penalty spot, and the Brazilian pipes a shot at Matz Sels.
The former Newcastle man is well-positioned to catch a hard first-time shot.
0-0, 11'.
Formation change
Forest using a back three, looking like a 5-2-3 out of possession and a 3-2-5 with the ball.
Alright, Ange. Never change.
Underway!
Forest kick off and away we go at St. James’ Park, the Tricky Trees attacking left to right.
Newcastle United lineup
Pope, Trippier, Botman, Thiaw, Burn, Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Elanga, Gordon, Woltemade
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels, Williams, Cunha, Milenkovic, Morato, Savona, Yates, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Ndoye, Wood
Newcastle team news, focus
OUT: Yoane Wissa (knee), Tino Livramento (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Jacob Ramsey (foot)
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
OUT: Oleksandr Zinchenko (groin), Douglas Luiz (hamstring), Ola Aina (undisclosed) | QUESTIONABLE: Murillo (thigh)
Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest preview — by Andy Edwards
The Magpies throttled Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise 4-0 on Wednesday and new striker Nick Woltemade scored again three days after heading home the opening goal against Arsenal. That’s three goals in five appearances since the 6-foot-6 German joined Newcastle for $93 million this summer, the centerpiece of Eddie Howe’s plan to replace Alexander Isak. So far, so good — even if Newcastle do sit 15th (6 points) heading into Week 7. Anthony Elanga ($74 million this summer) will be desperate to tally his first goal or assist for Newcastle, and to do it against his former club after a Man of the Match performance in Belgium.
Fast-forward a little more than four months from the end of last season, and Ange Postecoglou finds himself in charge of a new club, Nottingham Forest, but back in 17th place again (5 points). Worse, he’s still in search of his first win at Forest after becoming the club’s first manager in 100 years to fail to win any of his first six games in charge.
Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest prediction
Last season taught us that if you are just patient against Postecoglou’s teams, then good things will happen for you. Newcastle 2-0 Nottingham Forest.
