There was no triumphalism inside Newcastle United after the 1-0 win over Arsenal, their most impressive victory of the season. The message, repeated constantly behind the scenes last week, was that they had to back up that performance, and ideally result, at the City Ground.
The successive victories over Chelsea and Arsenal were significant but they came at St James’ Park. Psychologically, Newcastle needed to prove they could produce similar rounded displays away from home.
It is arguable, therefore, that their 3-1 come-from-behind triumph over Nottingham Forest was the most important of the campaign. The tactical and personnel tweaks Eddie Howe made on Tyneside in his search for balance have shown to be transferrable on the road — and provide further evidence that, gradually, Newcastle are rediscovering the resilience away that proved essential in securing Champions League qualification two seasons ago.
Their Premier League record on the road this season reads played six, won two, drawn two and lost two — an average of 1.3 points per game, compared to an average of two points from their five league games at home (three wins and one draw).
Although there have been alarming aberrations, including the woeful 3-1 defeat at Fulham, stretching back further, Newcastle’s last 15 away games have brought seven wins, two draws and six defeats. There has been a steady improvement from the nadir of late 2023 and into early 2024 when they lost five successive away games in the Premier League.
Surprisingly, Newcastle even lead the Premier League for points gained from losing positions away from home this season. Of the eight they have collected from behind, seven have come on their travels.
“That attitude, that we’re never beaten until the whistle goes, is important because you have to find ways to get points from all positions,” Howe said. “I’d like to think we’re getting better at that.”
Impressively, both of those turnaround triumphs have been on Newcastle’s travels. In 2023-24, neither were.
To go alongside the draw Newcastle rescued at Bournemouth, they fought back to win 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers and now they have come from behind to triumph 3-1 in Nottingham. Unlike at Molineux, when Newcastle laboured throughout, they were excellent at the City Ground, especially during the second half, and thoroughly deserved their win.
“They were able to control us and punish us,” Nuno Espirito Santo, the Forest head coach, said. “They were lethal in the chances they had.”
Pleasingly, Newcastle were also patient against Forest, problem-solving throughout while sticking to the principles of Howe’s game plan.
Murillo’s opener may have been disappointing — Newcastle’s zonal-marking system faltered when defending a free kick, allowing the centre-back to head home unmarked — but the visitors did not panic.
Joe Willock continued to probe with dangerous dribbles down the left, interchanging well with Joelinton, while Bruno Guimaraes dictated play in midfield. As positive as some of Newcastle’s build-up play was, their final-third decision-making was lacking during the first half, so Howe sent them out after the break with a message to be “more direct, to pass forwards more”.
The uptick in their pace, intensity and accuracy was typified by Joelinton, who is a Swiss Army knife of a footballer and who Howe described as “being like gold dust”. Last week, Joelinton shifting back to left wing seemed to rebalance the side. Against Forest, he moved to the right after 40 minutes, allowing Anthony Gordon to return to his favoured left-wing berth, and the Brazilian was colossal once more. His lovely curling goal was a richly deserved reward for a dominant display.
Howe has finally unearthed a formula that seems to suit his personnel.
Newcastle’s Premier League record when Joelinton, Willock, Sean Longstaff and Guimaraes start together now reads: played 13, won 10, drawn three and lost zero. They score more, concede less and collect more points per match when they all feature together.
Yet, excitingly, the groundwork that quartet lay down as starters is being built upon by quality substitutes.
Sandro Tonali was influential, playing a key role in two goals by driving upfield with possession, while Harvey Barnes scored his second goal off the bench this season and should have had another. It may be a case of Tonali or Guimaraes starting for now, rather than both, but they are proving to be instrumental when combining during the final 25 minutes of matches.
“Sandro and Harvey have come on at 1-1 and really contributed to the win,” Howe said. “You need those options from the bench and we didn’t have that last season.”
Still, if Newcastle keep conceding first, they will eventually get their comeuppance. “You don’t necessarily want to be in those positions where you have to get points from behind, though,” Howe said. “We need to be trying to get the first goal because we know how important that is in every Premier League game.”
Encouragingly, Newcastle are also transitioning into proficient frontrunners.
Alongside Liverpool, they are one of only two sides yet to drop points from winning positions this season, claiming five victories on the five occasions they have taken the lead. Last season, Newcastle dropped 17 points when they had been ahead (losing three and drawing four), but Howe’s side are showing greater resistance. The head coach referred to it as a “never-say-die attitude”.
Afterwards, relief was the overriding emotion among Newcastle’s coaching staff. “We knew the importance of this game”, Howe said.
In less than two weeks, Newcastle have advanced into the last eight of the Carabao Cup with a favourable home draw and dragged themselves back to within a point of the top four. In the process, any suggestions of Howe’s position being under threat have also been extinguished.
Suddenly, Newcastle’s season is taking on an entirely different — and more positive — perspective.
(Top photo: Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)
