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• Taylor pleased with City's physical test during Hammarby win

  Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor was pleased with how his team stood up to the physical challenge of Hammarby in their 2-0 Champions League victory on Tuesday.

  City's win extended their unbeaten start to the season, having won every game in all competitions following a 2-2 draw against Arsenal on opening day.

  “Difficult game for us, physical challenge, a physical team in Hammarby. I think they outnumber us a little bit in terms of size, considering when you look at our midfield. But I thought the girls handled it really well," Taylor said after the game

  “I thought we dominated the game. In the early parts we were just a little bit off in our final action. We just needed to speed up a little bit in terms of being on the end of it, and we spoke about that at half-time, and we score with Laura getting into that type of position we’d been talking about.

  “[The physicality was something] we were prepared for, but dealing with it is a different thing. Having Bunny [Khadija Shaw] and Alanna [Kennedy] on the pitch, two of our more physical players, is really important, particularly for set-plays.

  “At 1-0 we were defending a couple of scenarios like that, Yama [Ayaka Yamashita] making a really good save at one point. Then Aoba [Fujino] got the goal that maybe allowed us to change things up a little bit more, get some people off that we’d like to manage.

  “I think the girls have dealt with it really well tonight. We expected it, we thought it would be difficult, and they rose to the challenge.”

  The victory leaves City top of their Champions League group with a 100% record after three matches, three points above second-placed Barcelona.

  Taylor had made changes to City's starting XI, with Lauren Hemp among the trio to drop out from the weekend and she did not feature in the squad. Ahead of their weekend game against Chelsea, who are second in the WSL, Taylor explained the reasoning behind Hemp's absence.

  “We’ve just got an issue with Lauren that we just need to analyse a little bit further, that’s all," he said.

  “It’s something that potentially happened in the Palace game [on 3 November]. She was able to play in the Tottenham game [last Friday] but wasn’t able to tonight, so we’ll just take a little bit longer to assess and find out more.

  “Hopefully [she can play against Chelsea]. There’s an opportunity there, we’ll just have to take a moment tomorrow, have a good conversation and find out where we’re at with the medical staff.”

   

• Forest taught 'a lesson' as winning run ended by Newcastle according to Nuno

  Nuno Espirito Santo acknowledged Nottingham Forest were taught "a lesson" by Newcastle United, even if he did not criticise his side following a 3-1 defeat at the City Ground.

  Forest had won their previous three matches to climb to third in the Premier League, and Murillo's opener had them on course for another victory.

  But that goal came against the run of play, and Newcastle continued to dominate, eventually equalising through Alexander Isak.

  Forest, who have been so solid at the back this season, went chasing victory and were instead caught out as both Joelinton and Harvey Barnes scored on the break.

  Those counter-attacks have been a large part of Forest's own attacking identity previously, and Nuno was full of praise for how ruthlessly Newcastle executed that tactic.

  "I cannot say that was a bad performance, that is totally out of the question," the Forest boss told BBC Sport.

  "We played against a very good team that was able to control us and then hurt us in the way we've been doing. It is a lesson for us to learn.

  "I just have to recognise that today we played a good team, who were better than us in many, many moments.

  "There's nothing to say about the [Forest] players. The character and belief was there."

  Newcastle were a little unfortunate to trail at half-time, having had seven shots to Forest's three and 60% of the possession.

  Yet Eddie Howe, the Newcastle coach, still saw plenty of room for improvement, which his side delivered on after the restart.

  "It was difficult, but we knew it would be," he said. "They are a difficult team to play against because they don't concede many chances and you're left fearing the worst when you go behind.

  "We had work to do at half-time, but credit to the players because the second half was up there with our best performances this season.

  "Everything we didn't do in the first half, we did at the start of the second half. We were intense and direct with our attacking. We asked more questions and could have scored.

  "I'm really pleased with the second half."

  Newcastle have won three in a row in all competitions for the first time in over a year, helped by a return to form for their attacking stars.

  Isak had netted only once this season before scoring in the past four successive matches, while Barnes again showed his quality from the bench. Six of his nine Newcastle goals have come as a substitute.

  Howe added: "We need our attacking players to contribute goals, and Alex has done that in the past few weeks with massive moments, then Joelinton and Harvey Barnes pop up with moments, too.

  "We know we have players who can make that difference, and I'm really pleased with that side of our game.

  "Harvey Barnes did what he does. He's an outstanding player. Trying to find room for him in the team is something that I am conscious of.

  "I'm really pleased he got that goal – I thought it was a fantastic finish."

• Nottingham Forest 1-3 Newcastle United: Visitors battle back for another City Ground victory

  Newcastle United fought back to win at the City Ground again on Sunday, beating high-flying Nottingham Forest 3-1 with a ruthless second-half display.

  The Magpies had defeated Forest away from home in each of the previous two seasons, but Nuno Espirito Santo's hosts have been a different prospect so far in this campaign.

  And Forest looked set for a fourth win in a row when Murillo nodded in his first career goal midway through the first half.

  That opener was arguably harsh on Newcastle, though, and a deserved equaliser arrived nine minutes after half-time as Alexander Isak scored in a fourth consecutive match in all competitions.

  Isak, who netted twice in a 2-1 win at Forest in March 2023, then turned provider for the second goal as Joelinton brilliantly beat Matz Sels, before substitute Harvey Barnes broke away to net the third.

  Another victory, following on from last week's win against Arsenal, lifts Newcastle to within a point of Forest, who remain third ahead of Chelsea hosting the Gunners later on Sunday.

  Data Debrief: Super sub Barnes shows Newcastle depth

  Newcastle had looked a little short in wide positions prior to a change last week that saw Joelinton moved into the forward line, but now they have a wealth of options.

  Joelinton starred on the left against Arsenal but scored a brilliant goal after moving to the right on this occasion, also contesting (16) and winning (10) more duels than any team-mate.

  Then Barnes arrived from the bench, on for the injured Anthony Gordon, and made the points safe with his ninth Premier League goal for the club and sixth as a substitute. Only Papiss Cisse (eight) and Callum Wilson (seven) have more Newcastle goals from the bench in this competition.