Chris Wood's hat-trick in the most recent Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest match reminded Newcastle manager Eddie Howe of the attacking talent he once possessed. Forest manager Nuno Nspiritu Santos was also impressed with his side's performance and expressed optimism that they will maintain their confidence in the Premier League. Newcastle have been in poor form of late, losing six of their last seven matches and four of their last five league matches. They were pinned down by their opponents against Forest, who used the speed of the counter-attack to take the lead.
Based on a precise pass from Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga crossed low and Wood equalised. Forest then found Alexander Isak thanks to a pass from Lewis Milley and a foul by Ola Aina awarded a penalty. Despite a review by the VAR (Assistant Referee), the decision was still valid and Isak scored a penalty. Elanger continued to cause problems for the Newcastle defence, setting up Gibbs-White for a goal in the second half with a dangerous cross.
Wood further showed his talent, taking advantage of Elanger's pass to deftly avoid defender Dan Burn and cushion the ball past Martin Dubr**ka. He completed his hat-trick by bypassing Dubravka and firing the ball into the net, which was flagged offside with the assistance of Kieran Trippier. Elanger's performance left observers confused as to why United had decided to let go of such a fantastic player, while Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles highlighted the importance of Wood and his respect in the dressing room. Overall, the match highlighted Newcastle's woes and the potential for Forest to compete in the Premier League under Nuno's management.