Alexander Isak scored his 50th Premier League goal as a rampant first-half performance from Newcastle United helped them beat Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park.

Forest took an early lead through Callum Hudson-Odoi before Newcastle grabbed control of the game with four goals in 11 frantic first-half minutes to go in 4-1 up at half-time.

Lewis Miley and Jacob Murphy scored in quick succession to stun Forest, before Isak struck twice in the space of two minutes.

Isak’s second – his 19th goal of the season – saw him reach the 50-goal mark in just 76 Premier League appearances, quicker than all-but six players in the competition’s history.

Nikola Milenkovic took advantage of a defensive lapse to pull a goal back for Forest, before substitute Ryan Yates set up a nervy finish with a close-range goal following a corner in the 90th minute.

But Newcastle held on for a victory that moves them up to fifth in the table, which will likely be enough to qualify for the Champions League, and puts them within three points of Forest in third.

Newcastle blow Forest away in first half

Neither side had really settled when Hudson-Odoi stole the ball off Jacob Murphy following a throw-in, drove forward and caught Nick Pope off guard with a curling strike into the bottom corner.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side immediately looked to right that wrong, with Anthony Gordon unfortunate not to convert on the stretch as Tino Livramento’s teasing cross fizzed across the face of goal.

The 18-year-old Miley, making his first league start in 365 days, provided the equaliser a few minutes later when he rifled a low shot past Matz Sels after Forest failed to clear from a free-kick.

Murphy then atoned for his earlier error by bundling the ball across the goal-line after Lewis Hall’s attempted squared pass was deflected goalward by Murillo.

Forest’s situation worsened when Ola Aina handled Hall’s cross inside the penalty area, with referee Jarred Gillett pointing to the spot after consulting the pitchside monitor.

Isak just about beat Sels with his spot-kick down the middle, though the Belgian goalkeeper may feel disappointed not to have saves it having stood tall.

The Newcastle striker compounded a torrid 11 minute-spell for Forest as he ran through on goal and finished past Sels, albeit with a slight deflection off Murillo.

Forest struggled to deal with set-pieces all afternoon and came close to conceding a fifth early in the second half when Fabian Schar’s header from another wicked Hall delivery hit the top of the post.

However, the home side took their foot off the gas in the second-half and were left hanging on for a nervy victory.

Milenkovic flicked Chris Wood’s header past Pope following a corner, before Yates converted from another set-piece to leave the home crowd cursing their side’s loss of focus.

Miley excellent in important win

Newcastle really needed a win to boost their hopes of a top-five finish and arrest a slide that was threatening to derail their season.

Howe’s side came into the game with three league defeats in four, and risked losing three consecutive home games in the Premier League for the first time since 2021.
Instead of falling nine points behind Forest, they closed the gap to three.

While Isak stole the headlines, Newcastle’s youngsters Hall and Miley – who came in for Tonali – impressed.

“The way Lewis Miley glides on the pitch, there are few that can do that. He is an international in waiting and has the world at his feet,” former Chelsea midfielder Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I’m really happy to get a goal for my boyhood club, at the Gallowgate End. I couldn’t be happier,” Miley said.

Too little too late for Forest

Forest’s march towards Europe has been one of the stories of the season, but they might now be starting to look nervously over their shoulder.

A third defeat in four Premier League games marks a stark downturn in results, given that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side won seven of the previous eight.

Forest fought back valiantly in the second half, but ultimately their first-half collapse cost them.

“Second half was better but unfortunately not enough. Too bad, too soon,” Espirito Santo said.

“It’s about trying to settle down, calm down and try to be ourselves. In the first half I didn’t recognise our team. In the second half we were much better.
“I wish there was 10 minutes added on. We needed that time. We were on top, Newcastle were on the ropes. With 10 minutes I think we can get something from this game.”

BBC