Newcastle rally to beat high-flyers Forest 3-1 away

NOTTINGHAM: Newcastle United striker Joelinton scored his first goal since August as they came from behind to defeat Nottingham Forest 3-1 in their Premier League clash at the City Ground on Sunday, ending the fine run of their hosts in recent weeks.

Defender Murillo had put Forest into a first-half lead, but Newcastle piled on the pressure after falling behind and Alexander Isak scored for the fourth consecutive game to draw the visitors level after 54 minutes.

There were chances at both ends after that but only Newcastle took theirs as Joelinton curled a shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner and Harvey Barnes added a late third.

It ends Forest’s run of three consecutive league wins but they stay third in the table with 19 points from 11 games, while Newcastle climb to eighth with 18.

“You could see it was just a matter of time for Alexander Isak, once he scored that he would go on a run. We are a much better side when he’s firing. It’s great for him to get on the scoresheet again,” Barnes told Premier League Productions.

“The league table is so tight. It’s nice to move up a few places but the international break comes at the wrong time for us really because we’re on a good run.”

The home side opened the scoring on 21 minutes with a simple goal that will leave visiting manager Eddie Howe fuming.

Anthony Elanga lifted a freekick from the right into the box and Murillo escaped his marker to score with a free header from six yards for his first ever goal in professional football.

Bruno Guimaraes came close to an equaliser early in the second period when his audacious effort with the outside of the boot from the edge of the area went just over the bar.

But they got their equaliser shortly afterwards when Anthony Gordon’s corner was not cleared and Isak reacted quickest to side-foot the ball into the net off the post.

He should have had a second goal after a quick Newcastle break found the Swede in space in the box, but his shot on the volley went wide of the post.

The visitors would not be denied though and Joelinton put them in front.

The Forest defenders stood off him as he burst towards the box and, after opening up the space for the shot, curled a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.

The points were made safe when Barnes was played into space on the left-hand side of the box and cut inside before beating Sels at his near post.

“It is a lesson for us,” Forest coach Nuno Espirito Santo told Sky Sports. “We cannot say anything about our players. We gave everything that we have. We have to recognise today that Newcastle were the better team.

“They were very effective. We have to be proud of our effort against a good team. It is a very, very good league.”