Premier League | Gameweek 11

Nov 10, 2024 at 2pm UK

The City Ground

Nott'm Forest vs Newcastle

Match preview

The Tricky Trees have been pulling up trees and then some in the early stages of the Premier League season, outperforming all of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur to secure the final spot on the podium after 10 matches.

After two back-to-back wins against Leicester City and Crystal Palace at the end of October, Forest had a comfortable win against West Ham in gameweek 10. Chris Wood scored his eighth goal of the season, and Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ola Aina provided the icing and cherry on top.

Leading Liverpool by six points and Manchester City by just four ahead of this weekend's games, Forest's start to 2024-25 has been beyond their supporters' wildest dreams. Santo is doing exactly what he did at Wolverhampton Wanderers, getting them into Europe, and it's working.

On top of that, with just three goals conceded at the City Ground this season, no Premier League team has a better home defensive record than Santo's team. They're aiming to win four top-flight games in a row for the first time since 1994-95.

That year, the Tricky Trees did end up finishing in third place in the table, which is a great sign if they can beat the Magpies this weekend. But Eddie Howe's team also have a spring in their step after last weekend's games.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is celebrating three years in the job. He got a great early present during last Saturday's match against Arsenal. Alexander Isak met a cross from Anthony Gordon with a fantastic header to put the Gunners under pressure.

While Martin Odegaard watched from the sidelines, Newcastle's young full-backs, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, had a strong impact on Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka. The latter's performance earned him a first-ever call-up to the senior England team.

The win against Arsenal was Newcastle's second home success in a row after they knocked Chelsea out of the EFL Cup. It's helped them push for Europe again, as they're currently 11th in the standings, just one point behind seventh-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

However, Newcastle haven't been able to reproduce their St James' Park performances in their most recent away games. They've only taken one point from their last three Premier League games away from home against Fulham, Everton and Chelsea. They've also yet to win a top-flight match by more than one goal this season.

The City Ground is a happy hunting ground for the Northern giants, though. They've never lost in six Premier League visits to Nottingham Forest's ground – winning three and drawing three. But few Magpies fans need reminding of Wood's haunting hat-trick at his old St James' Park home last season.

Recent Performance

Nottingham Forest Premier League form:DLDWWW

Newcastle United Premier League form:LDDLLW

Newcastle United form (all competitions):WDLLWW

Team News

Forest's injury situation has not changed since the win over West Ham, with Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare still sidelined with ankle and thigh problems respectively, but James Ward-Prowse is back in contention after missing the game against his parent club.

However, both he and former Newcastle star Elliot Anderson will face uphill battles to force their way back into the starting line-up, with Ryan Yates, Nicolas Dominguez and Morgan Gibbs-White expected to form an unchallenged midfield.

Ahead of them, hotshot Wood - whom Howe has praised in the build-up to this fixture - reunites with his former team after scoring in each of his last four Premier League appearances; he has never scored in five successive games in the competition.

Speaking of players facing their old clubs, Joe Willock's afternoon against Arsenal ended prematurely when he was taken off midway through the second half, but there is no suggestion that the injury-hit midfielder has suffered a setback that could rule him out of Sunday's clash.

As a result, Howe will only have to contend with injuries to Sven Botman (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Kieran Trippier (thigh) and Callum Wilson (back), although he has confirmed that Jacob Murphy should return from a hamstring problem this weekend.

Murphy will no doubt be hoping to provide some impetus from the bench as Joelinton and Gordon continue to feed Isak, who scored three goals in just two Premier League appearances against Nottingham Forest.

Possible starting lineups

Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:

Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Dominguez, Yates; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock; Gordon, Isak, Joelinton