Alexander Isak’s double helped ease Newcastle firmly back into the race for Champions League qualification by denting Nottingham Forest’s hopes in a seven-goal thriller.
The Sweden international took his tally for the season to 21 as he reached 50 goals in the Premier League in a 4-3 victory over third-placed Forest at St James’ Park in which the visitors had taken an early lead through Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Lewis Miley, Jacob Murphy and Isak twice scored inside 11 first-half minutes to turn the game on its head in front of a crowd of 52,223 – among them chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan – and send the Magpies into Wednesday night’s clash with leaders Liverpool on a high after last weekend’s drubbing at Manchester City.
BACK TO WINNING WAYS! 👊 pic.twitter.com/WdmthcwuV2
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) February 23, 2025
The visitors, who host second-placed Arsenal in midweek, pulled one back through defender Nikola Milenkovic and ensured a tense conclusion when substitute Ryan Yates struck at the death, but they had given themselves too much to do and are now just three points ahead of City and Newcastle.
Forest took a sixth-minute lead when Hudson-Odoi caught Jacob Murphy in possession and surged forward before firing past Nick Pope, making his first Premier League appearance since December 7, from 25 yards.
However, the goal came against the run of play and undeterred, the home side were back on terms within four minutes when, after Forest had smuggled away Bruno Guimaraes’ header, Lewis Hall fed the ball into Miley’s feet and he took a controlling touch before dispatching a left-footed shot across Matz Sels and inside the far post.
The visitors fell behind within seconds after Hall ran on to Isak’s clever backheel and drove forward before sending in a cross which Murphy bundled home at the far post after it had clipped Murillo.
It was 3-1 with 12 minutes of the first half remaining when, after a lengthy VAR review, referee Jarred Gillett awarded a penalty for handball against Ola Aina after he had blocked Hall’s cross with an outstretched arm and Isak converted straight down the middle despite Sels getting a hand to his attempt.
Remarkably, the Magpies extended their lead further within seconds when Joe Willock raced clear and slid the ball to Isak, whose shot was once against deflected past Sels by the luckless Murillo.
Sels saved from Anthony Gordon and Milenkovic blocked Gordon’s follow-up as the hosts looked to extend their lead, but Isak and Pope got in the way of stoppage-time strikes by Morgan Gibbs-White to deny Forest a lifeline.
Fabian Schar was unfortunate not to extend Newcastle’s lead when his 49th-minute header from a Hall corner came back off a post, but he and his fellow defenders were relieved to see Anthony Elanga fail to convert Neco Williams header back across goal, as difficult a chance as it was, five minutes later.
With the hosts content to sit back behind the ball and strike on the break, former Magpie Elliot Anderson belatedly forced his way into the game, and it was from his 63rd-minute corner that the visitors reduced the deficit when Milenkovic turned Chris Wood’s cross past Pope.
Anderson, Murillo and Wood all passed up good chances as the clock ran down and although Yates struck amid a 90th-minute scramble, Eddie Howe’s men held out as a madcap game drew to a frenetic conclusion.
Burnley boss Scott Parker never doubted his players would maintain their intensity despite promotion having already been achieved.The Clarets emphatically boosted their Sky Bet Championship title hopes by hammering QPR 5-0 in their penultimate match of the season.It moved them to the top of the table, three points ahead of Leeds, although the Yorkshire side, who are at home to Bristol City on Mond...
Darren Moore could not hide his pride at steering Port Vale back into League One following a 2-0 win over AFC Wimbledon.Two second-half goals from Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Headley sealed an immediate return to the third tier for the Vale Park outfit.As players and fans alike celebrated in the away end, Moore reflected on the achievement – and admitted his focus in this match was on gaining...
Richie Wellens felt the overall display from his Leyton Orient team was excellent in their 1-0 victory over Wycombe.Orient took another step towards the play-offs after Randell Williams’ second-half header proved the difference at Brisbane Road.It was Orient’s fifth successive win and they now travel to Huddersfield next Saturday knowing that, with their superior goal difference, they ...
Notts County all-but guaranteed their place in the League Two play-offs courtesy of a 3-1 victory at Harrogate.The Magpies ended their four-match winless run thanks to Conor Grant’s second-half brace, leaving them fifth in the table and six points clear of eighth-placed Colchester.County took the lead in the 33rd minute when George Abbott fired home after David McGoldrick’s initial eff...
Luton climbed out of the Championship bottom three for the first time since January thanks to Shandon Baptiste’s 90th-minute goal as they beat play-off chasing Coventry 1-0.The Hatters looked like they would go to West Brom next weekend with their destiny definitely out of their own hands, only for Baptiste, who had been on the field for just 11 minutes, to find the net and lift the roof off...
Leyton Orient remain on course for the Sky Bet League One play-offs after a 1-0 win which dented Wycombe’s hopes of automatic promotion.Randell Williams scored the only goal of the game and Orient’s victory, their fifth in succession, leaves them ahead of seventh-placed Reading on goal difference.Defeat for the Chairboys, though, has handed the initiative to Wrexham, who could seal the...
Doncaster clinched promotion to League One after goals from Rob Street and Billy Sharp secured a 2-1 win over 10-man Yorkshire rivals Bradford.In an incident-packed encounter in front of over 12,500 fans – the Eco-Power Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season – Doncaster hit the post through Jordan Gibson before on-loan Lincoln striker Street gave Rovers a 33rd-minute lead with his...
Reading’s hunt for a Sky Bet League One play-off spot will go to the final day of the season after the Royals beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Memorial Stadium.Lewis Wing’s eighth league goal of the season after 67 minutes and Chem Campbell’s added-time effort leaves the Pirates staring at relegation after Noel Hunt’s side had to survive a first-half onslaught from the hosts....
Jamie Andrews struck a late equaliser as Woking twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Eastleigh in the National League.Tyrese Shade put the visitors in front after 14 minutes, played in on goal by Ben Close before finding the bottom corner of the net.Woking then drew level three minutes before the break when Aiden O’Brien headed in from Jacob Jones’ free-kick.Shade had Eastleigh back...
Port Vale secured automatic promotion to League One after beating AFC Wimbledon 2-0 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.Second-half goals by Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Hedley ensured Vale would finish in the top three and also made a dent in the home side’s push for the play-offs.Vale created the first real attempt of the game which saw Lorent Tolaj fire over from 12 yards out following a cros...
- 1 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 2 Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace dazzles in low-cut top and mini skirt
- 3 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 4 We always have a chance – Miron Muslic bullish as Plymouth boost survival hopes
- 5 Tottenham to compete with Man City for defender
- 6 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 7 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 8 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 9 Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola fumes over point claimed at 10-man Crystal Palace
- 10 Daily Laugh - Totttenham 1-2 N Forest