Newcastle received a boost in their bid to secure a spot in European competition as Bruno Guimaraes ended his goal drought and played a crucial role in their thrilling 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Guimaraes, the Brazilian midfielder, had not found the back of the net since the dominant 8-0 victory against Sheffield United in September. However, he broke his scoring dry spell by opening the scoring at the City Ground. In the second half, he further contributed to Newcastle’s success by scoring the winning goal.
In addition to Guimaraes’ goals, Fabian Schar also found the back of the net for Newcastle. This victory propelled the Magpies to seventh place in the standings, just two points behind sixth-placed Manchester United. Despite an inconsistent season, Newcastle now has their sights set on a strong performance that could secure them European football for the second consecutive season.
Nottingham Forest managed to equalize twice through goals from Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi, and they believed they should have been awarded a penalty when the score was 2-2. However, they are still seeking their first Premier League victory of 2024 and find themselves just two points above the relegation zone.
Adding to their concerns, Nottingham Forest faces the possibility of a points deduction from the Premier League, which looms over them. As they enter the final stretch of the season, there are genuine worries about their situation.
Their struggles are exacerbated by a recurring pattern of losing closely contested matches. The 3-2 defeat against Newcastle marked the sixth time this season that they have lost by that scoreline.
The match got off to an exhilarating start, with Forest having an excellent opportunity to take the lead in the fifth minute. Morgan Gibbs-White had a chance after a surging run by Taiwo Awoniyi, who played a cutback pass to Nuno Tavares. However, Gibbs-White’s left-footed effort narrowly missed the target.
Five minutes later, Forest found themselves trailing as Bruno Guimaraes made a clever run to the far post and expertly finished Kieran Trippier’s deep cross with a first-time strike.
Having endured a difficult match against Luton’s Chiedozie Ogbene in the previous week, Newcastle defender Dan Burn was likely apprehensive about facing Anthony Elanga. Burn, known for his height and long legs, found himself unable to keep up with the pace and agility of the Swedish international. Elanga was sent clear by Nicolas Dominguez’s well-executed through-ball, but Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka made an impressive save by staying big and denying Elanga.
However, Elanga did not squander his next opportunity. Ten minutes later, he once again showcased his speed, leaving Burn and Sven Botman trailing behind. With composure, Elanga calmly slotted the ball through Dubravka’s legs, courtesy of an excellent through-ball from Gibbs-White.
Despite Forest’s efforts to equalize, Newcastle regained the lead just before halftime. Botman headed down Trippier’s free-kick, setting up Fabian Schar, who cleanly guided the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards.
In the sixth minute of added time in the first half, the scoreline was leveled at 2-2. Callum Hudson-Odoi cut inside from the left and unleashed a shot that took a deflection off Lewis Miley before soaring into the corner of the net.
Nottingham Forest continued to find success against Newcastle’s high defensive line and felt aggrieved when they were denied a penalty just after the 60th minute mark.
Taiwo Awoniyi broke through on goal after receiving a long kick from Matz Sels and appeared to be tripped by Martin Dubravka’s outstretched arm. However, referee Anthony Taylor did not award a penalty, and despite a VAR check, the decision was not overturned.
In a familiar sequence of events, just three minutes later, Newcastle regained the lead for the third time. Anthony Elanga’s errant pass fell directly to Bruno Guimaraes, who calmly placed the ball into the bottom corner for his second goal of the evening.
This time, Newcastle held on to their advantage and secured a valuable three points, successfully seeing out the remainder of the match.
