Elliot Anderson came back to punish his former club with a dramatic late equaliser as Nottingham Forest earned a crucial draw against Newcastle United to edge nearer to Premier League safety.
The midfielder, who left Newcastle for Forest two years ago, struck with just three minutes remaining to secure a point that leaves Forest seven points above the relegation zone with only two matches left.
Vitor Pereira’s side could mathematically guarantee survival later on Sunday if West Ham lose at home to Arsenal, marking a remarkable turnaround since Pereira replaced Sean Dyche in February.
For Newcastle, the result was another damaging setback in a frustrating campaign.
Harvey Barnes looked to have earned the visitors a vital win when he fired them ahead midway through the second half, briefly lifting Eddie Howe’s side into ninth place and reviving faint hopes of European qualification.
But Anderson had the final word, collecting a short pass from James McAtee before finishing emphatically past Nick Pope from close range.
The visitors had opportunities to seize control long before Barnes’ opener.
William Osula rattled the crossbar with a free-kick, while Bruno Guimaraes forced Matz Sels into an awkward save during an encouraging first-half spell.
Forest also created chances of their own after the interval, with Pope producing an excellent stop to deny Taiwo Awoniyi before Barnes finally broke the deadlock in the 74th minute.
The winger latched onto Jacob Ramsey’s through ball, held off Morato and calmly slotted home.
Yet Newcastle were unable to hold on once again, a familiar problem throughout the season.
Newcastle hardly needed reminding of Anderson’s quality, but the former academy graduate delivered another painful lesson against his boyhood club.
Signed by Forest for £35m, the midfielder has become one of the Premier League’s standout performers and is now expected to feature prominently for England at the World Cup under Thomas Tuchel.
His late goal not only pushed Forest closer to safety but also underlined just how valuable he has become to Pereira’s side.
After scoring, Anderson pointed to the sky in tribute to his mother Helen, whose passing was honoured by the club earlier this season.
With interest reportedly growing from Manchester United and Manchester City, Forest may face a battle to keep hold of their midfield star this summer.
Newcastle’s inability to protect leads has defined their disappointing league season, and this was another painful example.
The Magpies have now dropped 27 points from winning positions this campaign - a statistic that continues to damage their hopes of salvaging a European place.
Barnes once again delivered from the bench and looked set to keep Newcastle’s ambitions alive, but sloppy defending late on allowed Forest back into the match.
Despite enjoying more recovery time than their opponents, Howe’s side faded in the closing stages and paid the price when Anderson surged into the area to score.
The away support still sang the midfielder’s name during the match, but by full-time it was the Forest fans celebrating the “Geordie Maradona” after he rescued a priceless point for his new club.
