Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest

Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest are set to trade tackles at St James’ Park in a high-stakes Premier League contest.

Newcastle United’s form woes on the road continued at the weekend as they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at newcomers Luton Town, making it five losses across their last six competitive outings (W1). Troubled by a significant injury crisis, manager Eddie Howe will relish the impending home return, considering the ‘Magpies’ have won their last seven league games at St James’ Park, conceding just once in that sequence. The ‘Toon Army’ have dominated this match-up recently, racking up five wins in their six most recent home H2Hs (L1), including a 2-0 victory in this corresponding fixture last term. Newcastle’s formidable home form can only reinforce Howe’s bid to inspire his side back to winning ways as they endeavor to bridge a seven-point gap on fourth-placed Tottenham.

In the meantime, Nottingham Forest’s start to life under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo was anything but pleasant as conceding in stoppage-time condemned them to a 3-2 home defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend. Without a Premier League win since early November (D1, L6), the ‘Tricky Trees’ commence this round only one place and two points clear of 18th-placed Luton. Any hopes of curtailing their underwhelming run rests on Santo’s ability to reignite Forest’s disastrous league form on hostile turf this season (W1, D2, L6). Scoring has been a genuine issue for the visitors, with only Sheffield United (5) lamenting a worse scoring record away from home than them (7). Particularly unimpressive after the break, they’ve netted a league-low three first-half away goals in 2023/24.