Newcastle Hold On Against Forest’s Late Surge After First-Half Dominance in Premier League Thriller

Newcastle Survive Forest Comeback in Premier League Thriller
By Harry Bamforth & Craig Hope at St James’ Park | Updated: 16:00 GMT, 23 February 2025

Newcastle celebrate an early goal during their thrilling 3-2 win over Forest.

Newcastle United held off a nerve-shredding late fightback from Nottingham Forest to secure a 3-2 victory in a breathless Premier League clash, consolidating their push for European qualification.

First-Half Blitz Sets the Tone

The hosts erupted out of the gates, scoring twice inside the opening 15 minutes. Alexander Isak opened the floodgates in the 6th minute, latching onto a through-ball from Bruno Guimarães before slotting past Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels. Just eight minutes later, Anthony Gordon doubled the lead with a vicious strike from the edge of the box after Forest failed to clear a corner.

Forest, managed by Nuno Espírito Santo, struggled to cope with Newcastle’s intensity. The Magpies added a third in the 33rd minute when Sean Longstaff capitalized on a defensive mix-up to tap into an empty net, sending the home crowd into raptures.

Forest Mount Dramatic Second-Half Fightback

After a tactical reshuffle at halftime, Forest emerged reinvigorated. Morgan Gibbs-White sparked hope in the 58th minute, curling a superb free-kick past Nick Pope. The visitors then piled on pressure, with Taiwo Awoniyi heading inches wide in the 67th minute.

The comeback gained real traction in the 74th minute when Callum Hudson-Odoi danced past two defenders and smashed a low drive into the bottom corner, reducing the deficit to 3-2. Forest’s late surge saw Newcastle clinging on, with substitute Chris Wood rattling the crossbar in stoppage time.

Gibbs-White’s stunning free-kick ignited Forest’s comeback hopes.

Key Moments & Heroic Defending

Newcastle’s Fabian Schär delivered a masterclass in defending, making a crucial goal-line clearance in the 81st minute to deny Awoniyi. At the other end, Sels pulled off a remarkable double save to keep Forest in the game, parrying shots from Gordon and Jacob Murphy.

Managers React

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe praised his team’s resilience: “We showed quality in the first half and character in the second. The Premier League tests you, and today we passed.”

Nuno lamented Forest’s slow start but took pride in their fight: “We gave ourselves a mountain to climb, but the spirit was incredible. We leave with heads high.”

Implications for the Table

The win lifts Newcastle to 5th place, just two points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa. Forest remain 9th but missed a chance to close the gap on the European spots.

St James’ Park erupted at full-time as Newcastle edged closer to the top four.

What’s Next?
Newcastle face a tricky trip to Chelsea next weekend, while Forest host relegation-threatened Everton. On this evidence, both teams will provide plenty more drama as the season climax approaches.

Final Score: Newcastle 3-2 Nottingham Forest
Scorers: Isak 6’, Gordon 14’, Longstaff 33’; Gibbs-White 58’, Hudson-Odoi 74’

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