Chris Wood stuns former club Newcastle with hat-trick for Nottingham Forest in Premier League

Chris Wood nets his second goal against Newcastle. Photo / Getty Images

Chris Wood came back to haunt Newcastle and hand Nuno Espirito Santo his first win as Nottingham Forest manager.

Wood, who joined Newcastle in January last year and was sold to Forest 18 months later, struck a hat-trick in his team’s 3-1 win in the Premier League at St James’ Park on Wednesday morning.

“I’m just happy to stick them away,” the All Whites striker said. “That’s what I’m here to do and I’m just happy I could.”

Wood was one of Newcastle’s first signings after the club was bought by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in 2021. He moved from Burnley for about $50 million, but was loaned to Forest 12 months later after scoring five goals in 39 appearances.

He completed a permanent move to Forest in June this year in a deal worth $30 million.

Newcastle have now lost five of their last seven games in all competitions and have had only one win in the league during that run.

“It was a difficult afternoon,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said.

It was Nuno’s second game in charge at Forest after replacing former manager Steve Cooper before Christmas.

“I think the boys played very well,” Nuno said. “It’s amazing so let’s enjoy it.”

Newcastle took a 23rd-minute lead through Alexander Isak’s penalty, but missed several opportunities to build on their advantage.

Forest then pulled even in first-half stoppage time when Morgan Gibbs-White sprinted upfield and played a ball to Anthony Elanga, who slid a pass that Wood easily tapped in.

Chris Wood nets his second goal against Newcastle. Photo / Getty Images

After Gibbs-White sent a header wide in the opening moments of the second half, Wood ran onto a pass from Elanga, turned defender Dan Burn inside out and lifted a shot over Martin Dubravka to put Forest in front in the 53rd minute

Forest then made it 3-1 seven minutes later when Murillo’s through-ball split a ragged defence and Wood deftly stepped around Dubravka to complete his hat-trick.

Isak saw a 67th-minute shot deflected wide and Lewis Miley just missed the target two minutes later as Newcastle tried to scrape back into the game, but meeting both fierce resistance and devastating counter-punching, the damage was already done and there was no way back.

The win lifts Forest up to 16th place while Newcastle’s fourth defeat in five league games keeps them seventh.