Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest will aim to return to winning ways in the Premier League when they face off at St. James’ Park on Sunday.
The international break is nearly upon us, and Gameweek 7 of the 2025/26 Premier League season will end on Sunday. The action on the day will start with four simultaneous matches, including Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest at St. James’ Park.
Newcastle United would have hoped for a better start to the 2025/26 season, having been slow off the blocks in the Premier League after the Alexander Isak transfer saga dominated the conversations during the summer. However, the Magpies are gradually building momentum, although they have managed only one win in six outings in the Premier League.
On the other hand, things are worse with Nottingham Forest, with Ange Postecoglou struggling to galvanise his squad since taking over from Nuno Espirito Santo. The Australian tactician has failed to win his first six games as the Nottingham Forest manager, and the Tricky Trees are staring at a relegation battle if they do not step up in the coming months.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Newcastle United come from a goal down to beat Nottingham Forest 4-3, with Alexander Isak scoring the match-winning goal. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Newcastle United
Eddie Howe has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Newcastle United manager will be bereft of the services of only three first-team players vs Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
The Magpies are carefully assessing Yoane Wissa’s knee injury, and he will not return until next month. Valentino Livramento is also unavailable until November, with the English international recovering from a knee injury. However, Jacob Ramsey is closing in on returning from an ankle issue.
Nick Pope is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Newcastle United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The backline will feature Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, and Lewis Hall.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton in the middle of the park. Finally, Nick Woltemade will lead the line for Newcastle United against Nottingham Forest, with Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy being the two wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon
Nottingham Forest
Unlike his counterpart in the Newcastle United dugout, Ange Postecoglou has a new fitness issue to worry about ahead of the trip to St. James’ Park. The Nottingham Forest manager may be without four first-team players on Sunday.
Postecoglou is sweating over Murillo’s fitness after the Brazilian defender picked up a hamstring injury earlier this week against Midtjylland. Meanwhile, Ola Aina (hamstring), Oleksandr Zinchenko (groin), and Douglas Luiz (thigh) remain in the treatment room.
Matz Sels will retain his spot between the sticks, with Nottingham Forest lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Newcastle United on Sunday. The backline will feature Nicolo Savona, Nikola Milenkovic, Morato, and Neco Williams.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Nicolas Dominguez and Elliot Anderson in the double pivot. Morgan Gibbs-White will reprise the no. 10 role, with Dan Ndoye and Callum Hudson-Odoi being the two wide attackers. Finally, Chris Wood will spearhead the Nottingham Forest attack against Newcastle United on Sunday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams; Dominguez, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Key Stats
- Newcastle United have won six of their last seven league games vs Nottingham Forest, including their last three most recent meetings since a 1-3 defeat in December 2023. The Magpies last won more in succession over the Tricky Trees in March 1937 (5). The Trick Trees have lost on eight of their last nine league visits to Newcastle United (W1), conceding 24 goals in this period.
- Newcastle have won only six points in six Premier League matches thus far in the 2025/26 season (W1 D3 L2), their worst start to a season under Eddie Howe. It is their lowest total after six games since 2021/22 under Steve Bruce (3). On the other hand, Nottingham Forest have five points in the Premier League this term (W1 D2 L3), accumulating 80 per cent of those under former manager Nuno Espirito Santo. It is the lowest won by a side who had finished the previous campaign in the top seven since West Ham United in 2022/23 (4, finished 7th in 2021/22).
- Nottingham Forest have won none of their first three Premier League games under Ange Postecoglou (D1 L2). Andy Beattie, in 1960, was the last permanent Forest manager to win none of his first four league outings (opening eight). The Australian tactician has lost 11 of his 15 most recent Premier League games (W1 D3).
- Newcastle United have conceded a 90th-minute winning goal in two of their three home Premier League games this season (2-3 vs Liverpool, 1-2 vs Arsenal). The away side had notched a 90th minute winner just eight times at St James’ Park in their first 30 seasons and 574 home games in the competition before 2025/26.
- Having enjoyed a 29.5 per cent shot conversion rate under Nuno Espirito Santo in the Premier League (33 goals in 55 games from 112 shots), Chris Wood has failed to score with his nine shots in three games since Ange Postecoglou took charge of Nottingham Forest.
Player to Watch
Nick Woltemade
While Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood, and Anthony Gordon were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Nick Woltemade as the Player to Watch for Sunday’s Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest at St. James’ Park.
The German international has scored in his first two home Premier League appearances for Newcastle United. Les Ferdinand in 1995 and Alan Shearer in 1996 were the only two players to score in their first three home Premier League outings at St. James’ Park. Woltemade will aim to join that elite group this weekend.
Prediction
Newcastle United 2-1 Nottingham Forest
Ange Postecoglou cannot catch a break in the Premier League, and the challenge gets no easier, as Nottingham Forest will visit St. James’ Park to take on Newcastle United this weekend. While the Magpies have not been at their best at the onset of the 2025/26 season, they have shown some promising signs in their last few outings.
Nick Woltemade is settling down nicely, and Anthony Gordon has returned to action with a bang. While the away side will give the Magpies a run for their money, they will not have enough quality or fitness to get anything from Sunday’s Premier League clash. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Eddie Howe and his charges.