'Much better' - £38m Newcastle United star fires warning to Premier League after 25-goal striker downs Forest

Isak cancelled out Murillo’s opener at the City Ground as Newcastle United went on to win 3-1 with further goals from Joelinton and Harvey Barnes. It was Isak’s 25th league goal since the start of the 2023-24 season, joining Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Mohammed Salah in reaching that tally.

After a slow start to the season by his standards, Isak has now scored in each of his last four games for Newcastle. And his Magpies teammate Harvey Barnes admitted the striker’s form has been key to Newcastle’s recent turnaround.

“You could see it was just a matter of time for Alexander Isak once he scored that he would go on a run,” Barnes told Premier League Productions. “We are a much better side when he's firing. It's great for him to get on the scoresheet again.”

Barnes came off the bench to score his fourth league goal of the campaign three minutes later to draw level with Isak as Newcastle’s top scorer.

"I want to start games,” Barnes admitted. “You never want to be on the bench, but when you are, you do everything you can when you come onto the pitch to get back into the team. I can do what I do from the bench from the beginning.

"The league table is so tight. It's nice to move up a few places, but the international break comes at the wrong time for us really because we're on a good run.”

The win took Newcastle up to eighth in the Premier League table but they sit just a point behind Forest in third after 11 matches.