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‘Disappointed’: Paul Merson tries to predict if Newcastle United can bounce back from last week against Nottingham Forest | NUFC Feed
3 – 4 minutes
· February 20 2025, 21:30
Newcastle United face another tough test this weekend as Nottingham Forest come to St James’ Park for a 2pm kick-off on Sunday live on Sky Sports.
Both clubs are looking to bounce back from defeats. However, Newcastle’s 4-0 dismantling at the hands of Manchester City requires a much bigger statement than Forest’s 2-1 defeat to Fulham.
Nottingham Forest occupy third place in the Premier League, six points ahead of Newcastle, so Sunday is pretty much a Champions League six-pointer.
There’s a good chance that fifth place will be enough to bag Champions League football this season, but why take that chance? A top four place guarantees it, and that’s what we should be aiming for.
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Joelinton 1
newcastleunited.com
Joelinton was among the scorers when Newcastle beat Forest 3-1 away
Paul Merson is going for a score draw on Sunday
Writing for Sportskeeda, Paul Merson has struggled to separate the sides.
“I was disappointed with Newcastle last week. They opened the game up against Manchester City thinking they are flying at the moment. Newcastle wanted City to have a go at them and they got demolished in the process!
“The thing with Newcastle is that at some point their players will start to think of the cup final. These players could go down like legends and that is too big a temptation to not keep an eye on. I turn 56 next month and I’ve never seen Newcastle lift a trophy! So the players will have one eye on making history and I don’t blame them for doing that because these games don’t come around very often.
“Nottingham Forest deserved to lose against Fulham. But they have always bounced back after defeats in the league this season. After suffering losses against Arsenal and Manchester City, they responded with wins. Forest must ensure they win again because I expect most teams close to them in the table to get three points this weekend.
“Prediction
: Newcastle United 1-1 Nottingham Forest”
Nottingham Forest are excellent at bouncing back from defeat
Paul Merson hit on the thing that worries me about Forest – their ability to bounce back from defeat. I genuinely thought their bubble had burst when Bournemouth tore strips off them last month, only for them to put seven past Brighton in the following game.
However they’re doing it, Forest are a force to be reckoned with this season and a side we can’t afford to relax against. They’ve battered us at St James’ Park before, and even though we’ve beaten them twice this season, there’s no guarantee of a third victory.
Newcastle will have to be at their best to get three points on Sunday. To do that, the St James’ Park crowd needs to be at their best too.
