Newcastle United claimed a vital win in their quest to qualify for the Champions League by defeating Nottingham Forest 4-3. The Magpies are now fifth in the Premier League, but only on goal difference are they behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
Newcastle–Nottingham Forest Premier League player ratings
Below, we're rating the Newcastle players on a scale of 1 to 10.
Goalkeeper and defenders
Nick Pope (GK): 6
Pope was slow to react to his team giving the ball away, which led to him being caught out of position when Callum Hudson-Odoi scored Nottingham Forest's opener. He was one of several Newcastle players ball-watching for Nikola Milenkovic's goal. However, he could not have done anything about Ryan Yates' finish.
Tino Livramento (RB): 6
Offers more pace than Kieran Trippier does these days but is not so comfortable in possession.
Fabian Schar (CB): 6
Schar was unlucky not to score, as his looping header came back off the post. He helped keep Chris Wood quiet, but the New Zealander still managed to assist Milenkovic's goal. Schar blocked Morgan Gibbs-White's goal-bound shot but for Yates to score.
Dan Burn (CB): 6
Burn's physicality was needed up against Wood. However, the Forest striker did elude him when he assisted Milenkovic.
Lewis Hall (LB): 8
Hall set up Lewis Miley's equaliser with a great ball into the box. He also had a hand in Jacob Murphy's goal as it came from a deflected pass from the left-back. It was also Hall's cross that hit Ola Aina's arm, which was deemed a penalty — where Alexander Isak scored from.
Midfielders
Bruno Guimaraes (CDM): 5
Guimaraes had a surprisingly subdued performance by his high standards. The Brazilian never really got a grip on the game.
Joe Willock (CM): 7
Willock assisted Isak's second goal with a nice through ball. The midfielder was very impressive in the first half but faded after the break and was replaced by Sandro Tonali after 70 minutes.
Lewis Miley (CM): 8
Miley scored a great goal with his left foot to level the score for Newcastle. The 18-year-old kept the ball well throughout the game.
Forwards
Jacob Murphy (RW): 6
Murphy gave the ball away, which Hudson-Odoi scored from. However, he made amends by kneeing the ball in to give Newcastle the lead. Murphy was taken off for Harvey Barnes during the second half.
Alexander Isak (ST): 8
Scored from the penalty spot despite Matz Sels getting a hand to his effort that was planted straight down the middle. Isak then made it four for Newcastle with a deflected shot from a tight angle. He now has 19 Premier League goals this season, which is the same amount as Erling Haaland — Mohamed Salah, with 25, is the only player with more.
Anthony Gordon (LW): 7
Gordon got into good positions, but his final ball was often wayward. It is surprising to see him not score or assist in a match that Newcastle scored four times.
Substitutes
- Harvey Barnes, 6/10
- Sandro Tonali, 6/10
- Calum Wilson, N/A