EDDIE HOWE got his substitutes spot on as Newcastle delivered an impressive second half fightback.
It was going so well for Forest, the Premier League’s third-placed team, when defender Murillo – who has just been called into the Brazilian squad – scored his first ever goal.
Yet Alexander Isak levelled early in the second half and three minutes after being introduced, Sandro Tonali tore forward to set up Joelinton who grabbed a spectacular second.
Tonali then played a part in teeing up Harvey Barnes who, also three minutes after coming on as a sub, beat Forest keeper Matz Sels at his near post for 3-1 with seven minutes left.
So what looked to be a potentially-damaging afternoon for Toon boss Howe ended up surprisingly comfortable.
Initially, it looked as though it was not going to be Howe’s day.
Defender Dan Burn picked up an early caution for a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White and he will miss the next game against West Ham on November 25 due after picking up five yellow cards.
Yet Burn was particularly annoyed with referee Anthony Taylor as his booking came while Tino Livramento was still on the ground holding his face after being elbowed by Ryan Yates, who avoided a yellow card let alone a red.
Forest skipper Yates was also fortunate to not concede a penalty when catching Sean Longstaff on the knee inside the area.
Longstaff was maybe too honest and should have flung himself to the floor but in any case, there should surely have been a VAR check.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
Yet there could be no excuses from any of Newcastle’s players for the really poor marking which led to the opening goal.
Murilllo was left completely unmarked to run into the danger area and got ahead of Joelinton to score with a header. Anthony Elanga not only won the free-kick but delivered the perfect set-piece.
Newcastle might argue that before the free-kick, Forest were awarded a corner when it should have been a goal-kick as the ball came off Yates, but they were still guilty of some poor defending for the goal.
Newcastle responded with Forest keeper Mats Selz – who had a couple of years in the north-east – making saves from Bruno Guimaraes and Burn.
Nine minutes into the second half, Newcastle levelled.
Both Chris Wood and Longstaff both jumped up to meet a corner from Gordon and the ball perfectly for Isak who will not have many easier goals than this.
Isak then should have made it 2-1 but sent a volley flying wide following a pinpoint cross from Willock,
That was Willock’s final kick of the ball and he was replaced by Tonali, who soon made a difference.
The Italian drove forward, fed the ball to Isak who picked out Joelinton 25 yards out.
He still had a lot of work to do but he was able to jog into the area unchallenged, swerved a challenge from Elanga and then brilliantly, curled a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
Any hopes of a Forest recovery were then blown to pieces by substitute Barnes.
Tonali once again played a part in a flowing move by the visitors and Barnes threaded a shot through the legs of defender Nikola Milenkovic and Sels was beaten at his near post.
