It felt like a statement win. Yes, injury-hit Forest was without a host of first-team regulars, but Steve Cooper’s side had not been beaten at home in the Premier League since September. There is a reason for that; the City Ground has become a fortress and this iconic stadium rocked once more under the lights on Friday night.
Spurs boss Antonio Conte said the Magpies were a ‘competitor’, and not the ‘Newcastle of the past’, but Howe’s side had to back that up after defeating Wolves last week. They did just that as Howe’s side showed real character to record their first league win on the road since Boxing Day and win back-to-back games.
Newcastle recover after another defensive error
While Eddie Howe has made changes up front to get his side firing again, the Newcastle boss has resisted breaking up the Premier League’s meanest defense in recent months when they have been fit and available. After all, no other side in the top flight has conceded fewer goals and no other team has kept more clean sheets than Newcastle.
However, Newcastle has not always looked their usual selves at the back in recent weeks, conceding a number of poor goals, and the Magpies were again punished for some sloppy play in the 26th minute. Sven Botman, fresh from receiving a Netherlands call-up, played a short back pass to Nick Pope under pressure from Andre Ayew. Emmanuel Dennis pounced and the Forest forward expertly lobbed Pope to give the hosts the lead against the run of play.
Newcastle has now failed to keep a shutout in any of their last six league games and although Howe’s side recovered, they have to eliminate these sorts of errors if they are to qualify for Europe this season.
Elliot Anderson shines as VAR denies him
Eddie Howe did not exactly have a plethora of options when he hooked Allan Saint-Maximin at the break – five of the eight outfield players on Newcastle’s bench had previously played at left-back – but the decision to throw on Elliot Anderson quickly paid off. The lively Anderson made an instant impact and forced Keylor Navas into a fine stop on the volley just a minute after coming on as the away end chanted: ‘Geordie Maradona!’
Anderson even had the ball off the net midway through the second half after getting his head on the end of Isak’s scooped cross at the back post. However, following a lengthy VAR check, the goal was disallowed by referee Paul Tierney after Sean Longstaff was controversially deemed to be offside in the build-up. Steve Harper perhaps spoke for Newcastle fans when the club’s academy director tweeted: “That’s a dreadful VAR decision! How is it offside when two Forest players have intentionally played the ball before Longstaff becomes active.”
Shelvey jibes a reminder of how much has changed
Jonjo Shelvey may have welcomed his former teammates to the City Ground as they made their way to the away dressing room, but there can be no doubt where the playmaker’s loyalties lie now. The Forest midfielder even called his one-time colleagues ‘whinge bags’ after the game.
Yet it is a reflection of how much has changed at Newcastle that a year ago Shelvey and Forest team-mate Chris Wood were regular starters for the club; now it is Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak who are occupying the pair’s positions as the Magpies compete for a place in Europe.
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