- NUFC Pitch Notes
- Posts
- Unbeaten in 37 Years!? Everything You Need to Know About the Forest Fixture🌲
Unbeaten in 37 Years!? Everything You Need to Know About the Forest Fixture🌲
PLUS: An update on Botman as Eddie sets an expected date for his return 🔙
👋 Chris Wood’s on fire… is probably not something we would have expected to hear a couple of years ago, but here we are. We’re heading to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest in an away fixture that we haven’t lost since 1987.
In today’s NUFC Pitch Notes 👇
🏟️ Everything you need to know about one of the Magpies favourite fixtures.
🚑 How ex-mags Chris Wood and Elliot Anderson could be set to miss the game.
🔙 An update on Sven Botman as Eddie sets an expected date for his return.
🗓️ ON THIS DAY
On this day in 1969, Newcastle hosted Sunderland in the 106th Tyne-Wear derby, winning 3-0 in front of 56,000 supporters at St. James'.
Keith Dyson stole the show with a brace, and a single goal from Wyn Davies helped to secure the Division 1 win.
📋 THE GAME PLAN
Everything You Need to Know About One of The Magpie’s Favourite Away Fixtures🌲
With Newcastle currently in 11th place on 15 points, three points here would give us a major boost up the table and help us close the gap on Forest, who are flying high in 3rd on 19 points.
A win here on Sunday off the back that stunning performance against Arsenal would potentially bring us back within touching distance of the top 4 - something that has looked somewhat of a distant memory so far this season.
Forest are sitting on a solid three-game winning streak, and at 3rd in the table the City Ground will be buzzing with confidence.
They’ve been an incredibly tough team to break down this season, conceding just seven goals so far – second only to Liverpool.
And although we’re not too far behind them with only 10 goals conceded, we will need to be clinical in-front of goal if we want to damage their defensive record.
"You can see how strong their defensive record is and what a test that is going to pose to us to try and score against them, which has given them the platform to score at the other end. They've a really solid defensive base with really good pace in wide areas."
The good news is that Isak has found his form in perfect time for this fixture - he’s scored three goals in his last two matches against Forest.
A goal here on Sunday would mark three consecutive premier league games on the score sheet, so there’s every chance we could see him find the back of the net once again.
As you’ve probably noticed, Chris Wood has been on fire recently, scoring in his last four league appearances.
Forest may have won only one of their last 12 Premier League games against us, but that win was just last season, with Wood grabbing a hat trick against his former club.
He might not have been the star man for us, but we certainly can’t afford to underestimate him - especially not in combination with our home-grown ‘Geordie Maradona’, Elliot Anderson.
Despite last seasons heavy defeat, Newcastle has an incredible record at the City Ground.
Believe it or not, we’ve played more Premier League away games without a loss here than at any other stadium, with our last defeat going all the way back to 1987 - there’s every chance we can keep that streak alive.
/
🤔 TOON TRIVIA
How many goals did Chris Wood score over 35 appearances during his year with Newcastle?
🩺 THE INJURY UPDATES
Wood & Anderson Remain Unconfirmed and Could be Set to Miss the Game ❌
A return from injury this week from Jacob Murphy, who has recovered from a hamstring problem and will be expected to feature this weekend.
Trippier and Wilson are both still out, looking at a potential return after the international break.
Eddie has also delivered an update on Sven Botman, stating that he will be returning to light over the next few weeks but doesn’t expect a return before January.
[image]
Wood and Anderson both sustained foot injuries after being stepped on last week, and their fitness for the game is yet to be decided.
Both players are hopeful to recover in time, but Nuno is not giving anything away.
“There are a few players we need to be careful over, we need to make the right decisions. But this is what we are here for.”
📊 THE MATCH FACTS
⚽ Forest have scored 8 goals in their last 5, compared to our 4 in the last 5.
📊 Newcastle currently sit in 12th, only 4 points behind Forrest in 3rd.
🏆 The last time Newcastle lost a Premiere League game away to Nottingham Forest was in 1987.
🔥 Wood has scored in each of his last 4 Premier League games, while Isak has netted 3 times in his last 2 games against Forest.
⚡ A goal for Isak on Sunday, would make it 3 in a row for the 4th time since the start of last season.
👑 THE LASSES
Match Preview: Newcastle United vs Bristol City as 4 Mags Return to Ashton Gate 🔙
Bristol City prepare to host Newcastle United Women at Ashton Gate at the same time this Sunday, with kickoff also set for 2pm.
The Magpies head into the match in fourth place, having won four of their opening seven games and holding a game in hand, sitting just two points shy of the league leaders.
Bristol City, currently in seventh, will be eager to bounce back after last week’s narrow 4-3 loss to Sunderland, which ended their impressive four-game unbeaten run.
Sunday's game will see some familiar faces returning to Ashton Gate.
Bristol's former player Shania Hayles, along with Elyssia Boddy, Rachel Furness, and Lia Cataldo, will be hoping to feature for the Magpies against their old club.
It’s a big away day that depending other results, could send the lasses even higher up the table.
👋 Thats all for this week but if you want to catch up on anything you might have missed, you can read more over on our website.
P.S. The answer to Toon Trivia is 4 goals.