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Forest's manager strode towards the exit deep in thought, his eyes downcast. Following 7 games in charge with zero wins, his immediate future appeared as uncertain as a fog on the Tyne.

While Newcastle were not at their ferocious level, second-half goals from Bruno Guimarães and the German striker—Woltemade's a spot-kick—eventually secured them a much-needed another top-flight victory of the season.

At kick-off, Postecoglou's padded anorak wrapped him like a blanket, but his agitated body language suggested it provided no solace.

No coat could shield him from the fear that his winless beginning by the Trent—taking over as the first coach in a century to go winless in his opening six fixtures—would extend before a possible dismissal during the upcoming pause.

However, his team did not do too badly during a tight at the back opening period.

Although the young midfielder at times outshone even the Italian star in the center, reminding everyone why Eddie Howe was so reluctant to let go of the academy product, the defender marked the striker out of the game, and Nicolò Savona gave Dan Burn problems down the home left.

In fairness to the forward, who received minimal service in the air or on the ground, his side's creative department lacked fluidity.

True, it took a superb fingertip save from Matt Sels—ex- Magpies goalkeeper—to keep out Joelinton header, and the midfielder missed a few opportunities, but generally, the visitors' defending was much improved.

Considering it is only a few weeks since the Australian replaced his predecessor and matches have come in quick succession, leaving minimal time to put into practice his ideas on the practice field, all the speculation of an looming dismissal seemed faintly premature.

Or at least it did until Guimarães curled a effort over Sels and into the upper net from just outside the area.

It left the manager shaking his head in clear frustration, with the pained expression of a man who had just lost his house keys.

His players complained about a possible foul on Morgan Gibbs-White by the scorer in the buildup, but their appeals fell on deaf ears by the referee.

With Tonali now ascendant in midfield, the youngster was not the sole visiting player struggling to make an impact.

By now, the coach had thrown off his coat and pushed up the sleeves of his jumper. With Forest rarely appearing capable of scoring and Newcastle looking to shred their earlier much-enhanced defensive organisation, he was obviously under pressure.

It took another fine stop from Sels to keep out the midfielder's volleyed cross-shot, before the resultant set-piece prefaced the striker's half-volley hitting the underside of the crossbar.

The keeper then made an excellent double save from the defender and Harvey Barnes before finally being beaten from the penalty spot by the German.

That spot-kick was given when Anderson's mistimed tackle sent the Brazilian tumbling to the ground.

Up stepped, the Germany forward to confound Sels by chipping a rather audacious spot-kick into the upper left side.

It was his 4th strike for the club since his seventy-million-pound move from Stuttgart in August, contradicting comments from officials at Bayern Munich that the Magpies were “idiots” to pay so much for the striker.

It wasn't Woltemade's best game in Newcastle colors, but his ability to retain possession and use his adhesive control to connect attacks is already making him a cult hero on Tyneside.