Newcastle United forward Joelinton ended his scoring drought with a crucial goal in a hard-fought 3-1 comeback victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday.
This result brought an end to Forest’s recent winning streak and allowed Newcastle to move up in a tight Premier League table.
Forest initially took the lead through young defender Murillo, who headed in a precise free kick from Anthony Elanga at the 21-minute mark.
Elanga delivered a lofted ball into the box from the right, and Murillo skillfully evaded his marker to nod it past Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, marking his first professional goal—a memorable moment that showcased his growing confidence on the pitch.
Newcastle responded with increasing intensity, pushing forward persistently. Their breakthrough came early in the second half when Swedish striker Alexander Isak scored for the fourth consecutive league match.
Anthony Gordon’s corner created confusion in the Forest defense, and Isak reacted swiftly to side-foot the ball off the post and into the net, leveling the score in the 54th minute.
Isak soon had another opportunity to take the lead, getting a clean look on goal after a quick Newcastle counterattack. However, his volley missed the target, keeping the game finely poised.
Moments later, Joelinton capitalized on Forest’s defensive hesitancy, taking advantage of space at the edge of the box to curl a left-footed strike into the bottom corner, putting Newcastle ahead for the first time in the match.
With Forest struggling to contain Newcastle’s offense, substitute Harvey Barnes added a third goal in the closing stages.
Played into space on the left, Barnes cut inside his marker and fired past Forest goalkeeper Sels at the near post, securing all three points for the visitors.
Reflecting on the team’s form, Barnes remarked, “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 acknowledged the challenges posed by a tight league table but expressed confidence in Newcastle’s recent form, “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.”
Forest, who had been in strong form with three successive league wins, remain third in the standings with 19 points from 11 games.
However, Newcastle’s victory lifted them to eighth place, just one point behind Forest with 18 points.
After the game, Forest’s head coach Nuno Espirito Santo reflected on the defeat, recognizing Newcastle’s quality. “It is a lesson for us,” he told Sky Sports. “We cannot say anything about our players. We gave everything that we have. We have to recognize 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.”
The match highlighted the Premier League’s competitive nature, as Newcastle’s persistence and tactical adjustments ultimately turned the tide against a resilient Forest side.
