Newcastle United had a great week, starting with a 4-0 win against Union SG in the Champions League and ending with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on October 5, 2025. The result kept them going in the 2025–26 season and moved them up to 11th place in the Premier League. They had 52% of the ball, took 18 shots, and kept a clean sheet for the fifth time this season, which showed how consistent they are getting. Nick Woltemade’s name will be remembered at the club together with Alan Shearer and Les Ferdinand. However, injuries to Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall have shown that there aren’t enough full-backs available. This analysis looks at Newcastle’s recent performance, Woltemade’s effect, the injury situation, and the choice not to bring Matt Targett back from his loan at Middlesbrough, as reported on October 13, 2025.
Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest 2-0.
Newcastle’s win at home over Nottingham Forest at St James’ Park moved them up the league from 15th to 11th place. The first half was tense, with Forest—who had former Magpies Elliot Anderson, Chris Wood, and Matz Sels—holding off Newcastle’s attacks. Bruno Guimarães scored a great first goal in the second half, and then a teammate, either Anthony Elanga or Sandro Tonali, easily converted a penalty to make it 2–0.
Nick Woltemade scored the second goal, making it his third goal in as many home games. He is now one of only three Newcastle players to do this, along with Shearer and Ferdinand. Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman played well together at the back, keeping a clean sheet for the fifth time in six league games. Thiaw’s calmness and physical presence, which many frequently say is “Rolls Royce” quality, made his £34 million move from AC Milan worth it. In the middle, Tonali set the pace, and on the right, Elanga brought vigour against his old team. Dan Burn did a good job filling in at left-back, even though his lack of speed sometimes showed.
Tactical Control and Strong Defence
Newcastle had 18 shots, nine of which were on target, and they completed 389 of 462 passes, showing how much they were in charge of the game. Eddie Howe kept the same XI that had beaten Union SG, keeping the rhythm and unity in a 4-3-3 system. Guimarães’ ingenuity and Tonali’s hard effort made up the middle of the field, while the backline did a good job of dealing with early threats from Wood and Anderson. Forest made six fouls and got one yellow card, but Newcastle stayed disciplined and made 16 fouls without getting any cards. Four replacements kept the team fresh as they finished the game with a clean sheet. This was part of a defensive streak that has seen them keep five clean sheets in six league games, which is better than their injury-plagued European campaign in 2023–24.
Woltemade’s Record-Breaking Beginning
Nick Woltemade, who Newcastle bought from Stuttgart for £69 million, has quickly become a key part of their attack. His goal against Forest kept his scoring streak at St. James’ Park going, putting him in the same league as Shearer and Ferdinand. The German striker, who is 6 feet 6 inches tall and known as the “Two-Metre Messi-Musiala” for his rare mix of skill and strength, came to England after scoring 17 goals for Stuttgart in 2024–25. He can hold up play, work with wingers, and finish decisively, thus he is a natural successor to Alexander Isak, who scored 23 league goals last season. This is great news for the toon who are now 8/1 to finish in the top four according to online casino india
Yoane Wissa is out until November with a knee injury, thus Woltemade has to do all the attacking work before important games against Benfica and Arsenal. With help from Elanga and Harvey Barnes, he has swiftly adjusted to Howe’s style. He is a focal point that blends the classic center-forward role with modern flexibility.
Injuries to full-backs show that there are depth issues.
Newcastle’s recent success has been slowed down by injuries to both of their starting full-backs. Tino Livramento hurt his knee ligaments in the 2-1 loss to Arsenal on September 28, which will keep him out for six to eight weeks. Even though worries about him missing another long-term ACL injury at Southampton were put to rest, his absence is still important since he is dependable on both sides.
Lewis Hall hurt his hamstring in the 4-0 win over Union SG on October 1. Howe said on October 6 that Hall will have to have another scan in the middle of October. He said the problem was “not short-term,” but hopefully not long-term, and Hall may be back in November. His absence messes up plans to slowly give him more playing time after he hurt his ankle before.
Dan Burn has been called up to play left-back in their place. The 33-year-old said last season that his extra muscle bulk makes him a better centre-back, even though he is reliable. Kieran Trippier is still an option, but he hasn’t been playing well lately. Alex Murphy, a promising young player from the academy, hasn’t started a senior game yet, so Howe doesn’t have many options.
Matt Targett’s Loan Decision
People started to wonder if Newcastle would bring Matt Targett back from his season-long loan at Middlesbrough because of the injuries to Livramento and Hall. The 30-year-old has done well in the Championship, scoring one goal and setting up another in six games, which helped Boro move up to second position. Reports say that Newcastle won’t bring him back until January because of registration problems; he isn’t on the club’s 25-man Premier League or 21-man Champions League squads.
Targett’s £100,000-per-week salary, his history of injuries, plus the fact that both Livramento and Hall are expected to return by the new year make it even less likely that he will come back early. His own words show that he is happy at Middlesbrough and focused on helping them get promoted, therefore it seems unlikely that he will be called back in the middle of the season.
Looking Ahead Strategically
Newcastle’s rise in October has been thanks to their strong defence, consistent tactics, and Woltemade’s quick adjustment to English football. But the injuries to the full-backs are a big test of depth as they get ready for a tough stretch of games in Europe and at home. Howe’s choice to stick with Burn and not mess with Targett’s loan shows that he believes the team will eventually recover and be strong. If Newcastle keeps up the current pace, their shaky start to the season could turn into a steady rise up the league and deeper advancement in Europe.
