Newcastle were beaten 3-1 at St James’ Park with relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest taking the three points back to the Midlands.
Newcastle were haunted by a a ghost of Christmas past after Chris Wood inspired Nottingham Forest to a 3-1 win at St James’ Park on Boxing Day.
It was a disappointing display from Eddie Howe’s side who took the lead early in the game thanks to an Alexander Isak penalty before Wood grabbed his hattrick for the visitors.
Wood’s hat trick actually meant that the New Zealander has now scored more goals at St James’ Park for Forest than he did for Newcastle.
But his quality in front of goal was clear, with the Magpies once paying £25m for the striker in the 2021/22 season.
But it feels that the wheels have now started to fall of the Newcastle bus with injuries impacting the team earlier in the season. But now players are returning, form is starting to tail off.
in fact, it’s Newastle’s eighth defeat in 12 games in all competitions which, to be frank, is not good enough for a side driving to push for a place in the top six as a minimum this season.
Eddie Howe under pressure
There has been outside noise that has suggested that Eddie Howe will be close to losing his job should form not improve.
It would seem harsh to sack a manager that has not only saved the club from being relegated from the Premier League, but has delivered Champions League football and a major cup-final in his short two years so far.
However, ambitions within the club remain high and form needs to be better if performances are to match the ambitions of the club’s very wealthy owners.
The pressure was showing post-game with Howe firing a warning at his players in what has felt like a long time.
He’s not the type to criticise his players too often, but saying ““No amount of credit in the bank is big enough. We have to change our short-term form for sure” is as clear indication that he’s feeling the heat.
