Premier League make controversial Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United decision after double ban

The Magpies have won back-to-back matches and ended a run of five without a win in the Premier League with victory over Arsenal at the weekend. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, sit third in the table and are four points above their visitors having won three matches in a row, despite having their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, sat in the stands for those wins as he served a three-game touchline ban.

The former Wolves and Spurs boss was dismissed following his protests at Morgan Gibbs-White’s red card during their draw with Brighton last month and was handed a three-game ban for his reaction. Despite referee Rob Jones initially suggesting that the midfielder had got the ball in the tackle, he was advised to change his decision by the fourth official and show Gibbs-White a second yellow card.

The fourth official on that day was Anthony Taylor, the man who will take charge of this Sunday’s game between Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United. Espirito Santo’s reaction to that dismissal led to him being shown a red card by Jones. Gibbs-White was also handed a ban following the red card, but has since returned to action. 

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was also handed a five-game ban by the FA following a separate incident of improper conduct following Forest’s defeat against Fulham in September. Marinakis has already served three matches of his five game ban and recently lost an appeal, meaning that he will not be able to attend Sunday’s match.

A statement from the FA read: ‘An Appeal Board has dismissed an appeal by Nottingham Forest's Evangelos Marinakis in relation to misconduct at their Premier League fixture on Saturday, 28 September against Fulham.

‘It was alleged that the behaviour of Evangelos Marinakis around the tunnel area after full-time of that match was improper. He denied this charge, but it was found proven by an independent Regulatory Commission, and a five-match stadium/ground suspension was imposed.’

Espirito Santo will return to the dugout on Sunday in a match that will see both Chris Wood and Elliot Anderson face off against their former employers. Howe’s side know a win would leave them just one point behind Forest heading into the international break.