By Damian Spellman, PA
Alexander Isak’s double helped ease Newcastle firmly back into the race for Champions League qualification by denting Nottingham Forest’s hopes in a seven-goal thriller.
The Sweden international took his tally for the season to 21 as he reached 50 goals in the Premier League in a 4-3 victory over third-placed Forest at St James’ Park in which the visitors had taken an early lead through Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Lewis Miley, Jacob Murphy and Isak twice scored inside 11 first-half minutes to turn the game on its head in front of a crowd of 52,223 – among them chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan – and send the Magpies into Wednesday night’s clash with leaders Liverpool on a high after last weekend’s drubbing at Manchester City.
BACK TO WINNING WAYS! 👊 pic.twitter.com/WdmthcwuV2
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) February 23, 2025
The visitors, who host second-placed Arsenal in midweek, pulled one back through defender Nikola Milenkovic and ensured a tense conclusion when substitute Ryan Yates struck at the death, but they had given themselves too much to do and are now just three points ahead of City and Newcastle.
