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Forest's manager headed for the exit with a puzzled expression, gaze fixed on the ground. After seven matches as manager and zero wins, his prospects looked as unclear as thick mist over the river.

Although the home side were not at their best form, late goals from Bruno Guimarães and Nick Woltemade—Woltemade's from the penalty spot—ultimately earned them a restorative second top-flight victory of the season.

At kick-off, the manager's insulated jacket wrapped him similar to a duvet, but his agitated gestures suggested it offered little comfort.

No coat could shield him from the anxiety that his winless beginning by the Trent—taking over as the first coach in 100 years without a win in his first half-dozen fixtures—would continue ahead of a possible sacking over the international break.

And yet, his side performed reasonably well during a defensively stingy first half.

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

Credit to Woltemade, who received minimal service to his feet or head, his team's creative department lacked fluidity.

Admittedly, it took a fine stop from the Forest goalkeeper—a former Magpies shot-stopper—to keep out the Brazilian's header, and the midfielder failed to convert a few opportunities, but overall, the visitors' defending was much improved.

Given it is barely a few weeks since the Australian succeeded his predecessor and matches have come in quick succession, with minimal time to implement his theories on the practice field, all the talk of an impending dismissal seemed somewhat premature.

That was until Guimarães lifted a right-foot shot over the keeper and into the top corner from just outside the area.

That saw Postecoglou shaking his head in apparent frustration, wearing the anguished look of a man who had just lost his keys.

The Forest squad protested about a perceived foul on Morgan Gibbs-White by Guimarães in the buildup, but their protests fell on deaf ears by the officials.

With Tonali now dominant in midfield, the youngster was not the sole visiting player being put in his place.

At this point, Postecoglou had removed his coat and pushed up the arms of his jumper. As his team rarely looking capable of finding the net and Newcastle looking to shred their previously much-enhanced backline, he was clearly feeling the heat.

There was another excellent stop from the goalkeeper to keep out the midfielder's volleyed attempt, before the following corner led to the striker's shot hitting the underside of the bar.

Sels then made an excellent two quick stops from the defender and the winger before eventually being beaten by a penalty by Woltemade.

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

Stepping up, the German forward to confound Sels by chipping a rather bold spot-kick into the top left corner.

It was Woltemade's fourth goal for Newcastle since his seventy-million-pound move from Stuttgart in the summer, contradicting claims from senior figures at the German giants that the Magpies were “idiots” to pay so much for the centre-forward.

It wasn't Woltemade's best performance in black and white, but his skill to retain possession and use his sticky control to connect attacks is already making him a cult hero on in Newcastle.