Alexander Isak scored a stoppage-time penalty to complete Newcastle United’s dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. The result moves Eddie Howe’s side to within a point of fourth-placed Tottenham, with a game in hand.
Forest had taken the lead through Emmanuel Dennis’s first-half opener, capitalising on a defensive error from Sven Botman. But Isak levelled just before the break with a technically sublime finish, and after Newcastle had a second-half effort ruled out for offside, the Swedish striker held his nerve from the spot in the 92nd minute after Moussa Niakhaté handled his header.
“It was a top, top performance. He was a constant handful for Forest. His pace and trickery were evident,” Howe said of Isak, who now has six goals in less than seven full games. “The penalty was ice cool. He’s got a huge part to play in our future.”
Forest manager Steve Cooper expressed frustration at the manner of defeat. “It’s the worst way to lose. The main talking points were how we didn’t manage ourselves around the two goals,” he said. “For us to make those decisions in the buildup is something you will get punished for at this level.”
Howe also praised teenager Elliot Anderson, who came on at half-time and impressed after Allan Saint-Maximin was forced off with a tight hamstring. “This is the hardest part of his Newcastle career. Can he make the step up? He certainly did himself no harm tonight,” Howe added.
