Matchday thread - Toon v Forest

[UlversToon]

A straightforward win would be nice today please!

Saturday sees Newcastle back in Premier League action, facing Nuno Espirito Santo's side at the City Ground. 

It's a 5.30pm start live on Sky Sports and all 2,950 away section tickets have been sold.

This will be United's sixth PL visit here and they have remained unbeaten in the first five, drawing the first three and winning the most recent two. 

Our last top-flight loss on the banks of the Trent was  on a red hot day in May 1987; Gazza on target in a 1-2 First Division defeat on the last day of the season, with the game ending in a pitch invasion.

Newcastle will wear their home home kit.   

Team: Speaking on Friday, Eddie Howe confirmed that Anthony Gordon hadn't trained all week and wouldn't be involved on Saturday.

Callum Wilson should be OK, compensating for the latest loss of Alexander Isak to injury. 

Nick Pope, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali remain out, while comeback dates for Elliot Anderson, Jamaal Lascelles, Matt Targett and Joe Willock are awaited.

The threat of a two-match PL suspension hangs over Bruno Guimaraes, after he collected nine bookings. Anthony Gordon is two PL yellow cards away from suffering the same fate.

Tonali rates this match as follows:

NUFC win 1/1
The draw 13/5
NFFC win 5/2
NUFC win, BTTS 5/2
Any score draw 10/3

NFFC: A hamstring injury means that ex-Magpie Chris Wood won't get the chance to add to his three goals against us this season. 

Joe Worrall has joined Turkish side Besiktas on loan while Ibrahim Sangare, Willy Boly (both Ivory Coast) and Ola Aina (Nigeria) are still on international duty at the African Cup of Nations.

While Newcastle had a full week to prepare, Forest hosted Bristol City in an FA Cup Fourth Round replay, eventually winning a penalty shootout after 120 minutes of play (plus stoppages).

The quota of ex-Mags at the City Ground is two once again, Wood now joined by goalkeeper Matz Sels. Jonjo Shelvey's loan deal to Turkish side Rizespor is now confirmed to have been a permanent transfer.

Sels debuted in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday but along with Gio Reyna and Rodrigo Ribeiro isn't eligible for the cup. 

Ryan Yates and Nicolas Dominguez are suspended on Wednesday but available to face us.

Forest are winless in all six league and cup games played in 2024, although drawing four of those.

PL home results remain mixed; three wins (Sheffield United 2-1, Aston Villa 2-0, Manchester United 2-1), a trio of draws (Burnley and Brentford both 1-1, Luton Town 2-2) and five defeats (Brighton 2-3, Everton 0-1, Spurs 0-2, Bournemouth 2-3, Arsenal 1-2).

Referee: Anthony Taylor - third appointment thus far involving us this season, following on from the 2-2 PL draw at Wolves and 2-4 PL loss at Liverpool.

VAR: Tony Harrington

UK TV: Live on Sky Sports

UK Radio: Live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 
(second half commentary also on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Local Radio: Live on BBC Radio Newcastle

Stats:

Forest v Magpies - PL era:

2022/23 won 2-1 Isak 2
2018/19 lost 1-3 Rondon (LC)
2016/17 lost 1-2 Ritchie (Ch)
2011/12 won 4-3 Lovenkrands 2, Colo, Simpson (LC)
2009/10 lost 0-1 (Ch)
2002/03 lost 1-3 Viana (FR)
1998/99 won 2-1 Shearer, Hamann
1996/97 drew 0-0
1995/96 lost 5-6 Ferdinand 2, Guinan, Barton, KK (FR)
1995/96 drew 1-1 Beardsley
1994/95 drew 0-0

Latest Premier League fixtures:

Sat 10.02.2024:
Manchester City v Everton (12.30pm) TNT
Fulham v Bournemouth (3pm)
Liverpool v Burnley (3pm)
Luton Town v Sheffield United (3pm)
Spurs v Brighton & Hove Albion (3pm)
Wolves v Brentford (3pm)
Nottingham Forest v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky

Sun 11.02.2024:
West Ham v Arsenal (2pm) Sky
Aston Villa v Manchester United (4.30pm) Sky

Mon 12.02.2023:
Crystal Palace v Chelsea (8pm) Sky

[overseasTOON]

I'd love to have a game where I'm not bricking it for the last 20 minutes.

Was convinced that Villa would come back and equalise and thought that Luton may just about hold on for the draw or get another.

Today is all about revenge for me as I used to live in Nottingham and all my mates up there took the piss when we lost so I want us to dominate from start to finish, f***ing hammer them and keep going till the final whistle.

8-0 Newcastle would be lovely.

[bodacious benny]

Whether burn moves to third Cb in a formation change or is dropped, we need the pace of Tino at LB / LWB. If not it’s immediately obvious of what will happen.

[Slim999]

Whether burn moves to third Cb in a formation change or is dropped, we need the pace of Tino at LB / LWB. If not it’s immediately obvious of what will happen.

I'd be interested to see us with 3 at back & wingback.

When moving forward Schar like to bring the ball out and that could work - with Tino & Gordon combining on left & Trips & Murphy on right Maybe .....

Dubravka

Burn Botman Schar
Tino Trippier

Bruno - Longstaff - Murphy - Gordon ( or Barnes)

Isak or Wilson

[originallad]

Didn't realise we were playing at half five. Ffs.

[Don Sholeone]

Dan Burn

[beatski]

Burn starts. As does Gordon. Rest of the team picks itself

[Remember Colo]

Burn starts. As does Gordon. Rest of the team picks itself

Eddie would suggest the entire team including Burn picks itself.

[seaside nipper]

Their width and pace our left hand side
Got a bit of the fear here, but got to trust EH for it’s his call. It’s on him of course if BDB gets owned by them tonight.
Wonder if Wilson has an hour in him.
That’s the negativity out my system.
We win this 2-1 somehow ……

[overseasTOON]

Chris Wood isn't in the staring XI so that reduces our ex players scoring against us hoodoo but can't rule out a Mat Sels hat-trick

[UlversToon]

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Trippier, Botman, Schar, Wilson, Gordon, Almiron, Burn, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Miley

Subs: Loris, Dummett, Lascelles, Ritchie, Barnes, Krafth, Hall, Livramento, Murphy


Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Tavares, Williams, Awoniyi, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Domínguez, Niakhaté, Elanga, Yates, Murillo.

Subs: Turner, Kouyaté, Toffolo, Felipe, Giovanni Reyna, Origi, Danilo, Omobamidele, Ribeiro.

[bodacious benny]

How long until Gordon goes off injured?

[UlversToon]

Comfortable 2-0 Toon win.

[originallad]

Burn at LB, death and taxes.

[originallad]

Should be one nil down.

[bodacious benny]

The dubravka issue there, doesn’t come out quickly enough.

[Don Sholeone]

anyone got a decent stream

[originallad]

Lovely goal!!

[Donkey Toon]

Bruno!!!

Great finish!

[originallad]

We've really got better at our set pieces under Howe.