Newcastle 2-0 Forest stretched Ange Postecoglou’s winless run to a painful seven matches across all competitions, as the Magpies capitalised on a gritty second-half surge to down the beleaguered visitors at a buzzing St James’ Park. Eddie Howe’s side, riding high on home soil, leapfrogged into eighth place with 12 points from eight Premier League outings, while Nottingham Forest teeter in 17th, just two points clear of the drop zone.
The breakthrough came in the 58th minute, courtesy of midfield maestro Bruno Guimarães. Lurking on the edge of the box, the Brazilian intercepted a sloppy Forest pass, took a touch to steady himself, and unleashed a thunderbolt that arrowed into the top corner, leaving Matt Turner rooted to the spot.
It was Guimarães’ third goal of the season, a stunner that had the Gallowgate End erupting in a sea of black-and-white scarves. “That was pure class; Bruno’s vision is unreal,” Howe gushed post-match, crediting the 27-year-old’s composure under pressure.
Forrest, under the weight of Postecoglou’s high-line philosophy, looked exposed. The Aussie tactician, fresh off a controversial Spurs sacking despite a trophy haul, has struggled to imprint his aggressive style on a squad still licking wounds from last season’s flirtation with relegation.
They mustered just four shots on target from 11 attempts, with possession at a miserly 42 per cent, and their defence crumbled late.
The dagger arrived in the 83rd minute via the spot. A rash challenge by Murillo on Jacob Murphy inside the area handed Newcastle the penalty, and up stepped Nick Woltemade, the German forward on loan from Stuttgart, to coolly slot home his fourth goal since arriving in Tyneside.
The 22-year-old sent Turner the wrong way, sealing a deserved victory and prompting wild scenes among the 52,000-strong crowd. “Feels amazing to contribute like this; the fans here are electric,” Woltemade told Sky Sports, his grin wide under the floodlights.
For Postecoglou, the defeat caps a harrowing week. His Reds haven’t tasted victory since a League Cup upset over Barnsley three weeks back, shipping goals in every league outing and conceding 14 in those six winless games.
Post-match, the 59-year-old didn’t mince words, lashing out at perceived media bias while confirming sit-downs with owner Evangelos Marinakis over the international break. “We’ve got to review everything – process, players, the lot. But I’m not throwing in the towel,” he fired, his trademark candour cutting through the Trent End’s stunned silence.
Marinakis, the Greek shipping magnate who’s poured fortunes into Forest since 2017, faces a pivotal call. Whispers of unrest in the dressing room have swirled since Postecoglou’s August appointment, with key men like Morgan Gibbs-White voicing frustrations over the gung-ho tactics that leave them chasing shadows.
“Ange’s football is beautiful when it clicks, but right now it’s suicide,” one anonymous source told The Athletic, highlighting a 2.1 goals-conceded-per-game average under the new regime.
Ange Postecoglou’s winless run
- ❌ 3-0 loss vs Arsenal
- ❌ 3-2 loss vs Swansea
- 🟰 1-1 draw vs Burnley
- 🟰 2-2 draw vs Real Betis
- ❌ 1-0 loss vs Sunderland
- ❌ 3-2 loss vs Midtjylland
- ❌ 2-0 loss vs Newcastle
Social media didn’t hold back. On X, #PostecoglouOut trended in Nottingham, with fans memeing his post-game rant alongside clips of Guimarães’ rocket. “Seven winless? “That’s not Ange; that’s anarchy,” quipped one viral post, racking up 5,000 likes.
Newcastle’s corner, meanwhile, basked in the glow; official highlights from the club hit a million views on YouTube within hours, with fans hailing Howe’s “Geordie grit” as the antidote to Forest’s folly.
This clash, beamed live on NBC and Sky, shows the Premier League’s brutal pecking order. Newcastle, buoyed by summer signings like Woltemade and an injury-free Guimarães, eye a European push, their next test a tricky trip to Arsenal.
Forest, though, stare down a survival scrap, with fixtures against City and Liverpool looming like storm clouds. Postecoglou’s honeymoon ended before it began, but history shows he’s a rebuilder; Celtic’s trebles and Tottenham’s Europa glory prove that.
Can he rally the Reds before the axe falls? As players scatter for internationals, one thing’s clear: at the City Ground, patience is as thin as the October fog rolling in off the Trent.
