The National Times - Forest felled by Isak as Newcastle bolster top four bid

Eddie Howe's side recovered from Callum Hudson-Odoi's early opener to run riot with a first half goal spree at St James' Park on Sunday.

Lewis Miley bagged Newcastle's equaliser, sparking an astonishing spell of dominance as Jacob Murphy put the hosts ahead.

Isak netted twice in less than two minutes to reach 50 Premier League goals and leave Forest in tatters.

The Sweden striker has 19 league goals this season, taking him level with Manchester City's Erling Haaland in second place behind Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in this season's scoring chart.

Nikola Milenkovic and Ryan Yates scored for Forest in the second half, but it was too late for an incredible escape act.

After three defeats in their previous four league games, fifth-placed Newcastle are back in the hunt to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top four finish.

The Magpies are behind fourth-placed Manchester City on goal difference, with third-placed Forest just three points above them.

Newcastle keeper Nick Pope made his first league start since early December in place of Martin Dubravka.

But Pope was partially at fault as Newcastle gifted Forest the lead in sloppy style after just six minutes

Jacob Murphy lost the ball in his own half as Hudson-Odoi pressured the Newcastle midfielder into conceding possession.

Hudson-Odoi wasn't closed down quickly enough by Dan Burn and the winger unloaded a powerful low drive that caught Pope out of position as it flashed into the net.

Miley ensured Newcastle's strong response to that early setback was rewarded in the 23rd minute.

- Newcastle hold on -

With Forest's usually rock-solid defence slow to react, Miley had time to control Lewis Hall's pass inside the penalty area and drill his shot through a sea of legs past unsighted keeper Matz Sels.

Murphy made amends for his earlier mistake to put Howe's team ahead two minutes after Miley's equaliser.

Hall's driving run was the catalyst as the defender took Isak's return pass and hit a deflected cross that looped over Sels for Murphy to bundle home from virtually on the goal-line.

Newcastle were firing on all cylinders and they struck again in the 33rd minute.

Ola Aina used his arm to block Hall's cross, conceding a penalty that Isak dispatched past Sels with an audacious lofted effort that left the keeper sprawled on his back as he tried in vain to claw it out.

Forest had no answer to Newcastle's intensity and it was no surprise when they conceded a fourth just 60 seconds later.

Joe Willock raced unchecked through the Forest midfield and slipped his pass to Isak, whose shot from 12 yards took a deflection on its way past the wrong-footed Sels.

Newcastle's Fabian Schar headed Hall's cross against the post, but the Magpies eased up in the second half.

Milenkovic reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute, flicking Chris Wood's cross past Pope from close-range.

When Yates steered home in the 90th minute, a nervous hush descended on St James' Park, but Newcastle held on by their fingernails.

N.Roberts--TNT