Newcastle United handed new £87m concern & fresh injury blow ahead of Nottingham Forest

Having been a largely positive 2023, the year is really starting to fizzle out - in fact, form is even showing early signs of derailing the whole campaign.

One win in their last six in all competitions, including being dumped out of two cup competitions in the process, is nothing Eddie Howe & Co will want to write home about.

And while the finest of margins has seen them drop out of the Champions League and Carabao Cup quarter final, they are light years away from looking like the usual Newcastle in the Premier League. The latest disappointment being the 1-0 away loss to Luton Town, courtesy of former midfielder Andros Townsend's solitary strike.

Here's the five key talking points from the encounter.

Travel sickness is no new thing

Since the back end of last season, Newcastle United's away form has been awful, particularly in the Premier League. It is no surprise to see them fourth bottom when it comes to the top flight away table this season.

The win at Sheffield United, and a couple of away day shows in the cups, have masked what has been dreadful trips, including massively under par shows at the likes of Bournemouth, Luton, Wolves and more.

Quite simply, if this does not change, nor will Newcastle's standing in the table. Being so heavily reliant on home form is unsustainable.

Lack of spark is evident

Despite a light knock on the door in the second period and a Callum Wilson header in the first half, Newcastle could have kept playing for another 90 minutes and they would have struggled to break down the Luton door.

Luton had something to hold on to - and went into survival mode in the second half. However, United lacked the creativity, invention, quality and guile to open up anywhere near enough opportunities.

And it has to be stated, this was done with arguably their first choice forwards all on the pitch.

Some think team sitting in against United is the problem - but the onus is on Newcastle to create, and they're just not doing enough in the final third to deserve points at the moment.

Howe even showed signs of a Plan B, with the 4-2-3-1, and while it sparked some kind of life, it was a long way off crafting a result.

Gordon-Wilson-Almiron discussed

The front three, at present, is not working. Some of this could be down to fatigue, all have been flogged recently. But they do need to do so much better.

Almiron's purple patches feel like a different universe away when he goes through these regular dips. Sometimes, he can barely play a pass to a Newcastle shirt, such has been his drop off in quality of late. That is no slight on his effort or workrate, they're top notch, more the execution, which leaves a lot to be desired.

Wilson, unless battling away, showed little in the way of movement against the Hatters, creating problems for his team elsewhere. Most of the time, partly due to abysmal service, the ball just kept coming back.

Gordon looks way off the standards set for himself this campaign. He is a class act, and almost bagged an assist, but he looks to be showing the signs of knock after knock, week after week. He needs a break, but it's hard to see how he will get one. The same probably goes for Almiron, to be honest.

Improved Trippier

It was a welcome return to form for Kieran Trippier at Kenilworth Road, but it made little to no difference to the end result, obviously.

However, it is definitely worthy of note that the struggling England international looked much more composed at right-back, and largely back to his usual self in an attacking sense.

Never rains in pours

Jamaal Lascelles has added his name to a forever lengthening injury list for Newcastle United, as the skipper limped out of the encounter in the first 45.

Luckily, the Magpies have Sven Botman to call upon in reserve, but it all of sudden feels like they're an injury or two away from another defensive crisis, when it has been in midfield and up front where issues have been more evident.