Ange Postecoglou has opened up on his future at Nottingham Forest as the pressure continues to mount after Newcastle ran out 2-0 victors against his side on Sunday.
Bruno Guimaraes broke the deadlock just before the hour mark with a sublime curling strike from outside the penalty area. The Brazilian's effort sailed past former Newcastle keeper Matz Sels and into the top corner.
Nick Woltemade wrapped up the victory from the penalty spot after Elliot Anderson brought down Guimaraes in the box.
The German striker emphatically lifted his spot-kick into the top left corner for his fourth goal since his £69million summer move from Stuttgart.
Ange Postecoglou has opened up on his future at Nottingham Forest as the pressure continues to mount affter Newcastle ran out 2-0 victors against the visitors on Sunday
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The defeat marks Postecoglou's seventh consecutive match without a win since taking charge at the City Ground, making him the first Forest boss in a century to endure such a barren start.
Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, the Australian remained bullish about his prospects: "It is a struggle, it is a fight, there is nothing wrong with that.
"I could have been sat on the couch watching you guys, but I prefer to be here right in the middle of it, where I can have an effect and I believe I will."
Nottingham Forest have failed to win a Premier League game since the opening day of the season
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He pointed to the upcoming international break as an opportunity to work with his players and promised supporters he would "turn the fortunes around".
"I knew it was a big challenge walking in," he continued.
"There is nothing wrong with that. I don't get why people think it is a burden but I love a challenge.
"We just have to get the results now and we have two weeks to get it right. If people want to assess me three-and-a-half weeks in there is nothing I can say that will change that.
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Ange Postecoglou believes his side are heading in the right direction despite the results
|SKY SPORTS
"What I have seen and felt in this period is that we are heading in the direction I want us to. The results will come. In the meantime, it is a struggle and a fight and there is nothing wrong with that.
"We don't want things handed on plate we have to fight for it, I have fought for things all my life."
The result leaves Forest hovering dangerously in 17th place in the Premier League table, just above the relegation zone.
They have won just once in the league this season; a 3-1 victory over Brentford on the opening day of the campaign.
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Newcastle supporters made their feelings clear about Postecoglou's situation, serenading him with chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" as the match drew to a close.
There were similar chants from his own fans during Forest's 3-2 Europa League defeat to FC Midtjylland earlier in the week.
The Australian was seen walking towards the tunnel with his head down, scratching his head in evident frustration.
With the international break looming, speculation is mounting that Forest's hierarchy might act swiftly.
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Ange Postecoglou cut a lonesome figure when he entered the pitch following the match
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Forest's frustrations boiled over when Guimaraes scored the opener, with players surrounding referee Peter Bankes to protest what they believed was a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up. The goal stood despite their appeals.
Postecoglou later suggested the officials might have made a different call without VAR.
"I think without VAR, he makes a decision there but with it he lets it run," he told Sky Sports.
"Something we have to live with."
The visitors had defended resolutely in the first half, with Morato throwing himself in front of a Woltemade shot to keep the scores level. But once Newcastle found their rhythm, Forest rarely threatened an equaliser.
After the game, when the Australian was seen clapping the away fans by himself, none of his Forest players interacted with him at all in a rather poignant piece of footage.
It leaves Postecoglou and owner Evangelos Marinakis plenty of food for thought over the prolonged international break next week.
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