Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle: How to watch, live stream link, team news

Newcastle United looks to kick off the Premier League weekend by putting heat on its top-four rivals with a visit to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Friday (Watch live, 4pm ET on USA Network and online via NBCSports.com).

The Magpies beat Wolves last time out to reclaim fifth place on the Premier League table, and they can move within a point of fourth-place Tottenham with a match-in-hand by winning this one.

STREAM LIVE NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs NEWCASTLE

Forest sits 14th on the table but that’s just two points clear of the bottom three, four away the basement. The Tricky Trees have claimed just two of the last 15 points available to them — draws with Man City and Everton — and count multi-goal losses to Spurs, West Ham, and Fulham among them.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle.

[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]

Kick off: 4pm ET, FridayTV Channel: USA NetworkOnline: Stream via NBCSports.com

Forest has kept just one clean sheet since the calendar turned to February and that was against finish-challenged Leeds United. Forest boss Steve Cooper would normally look to Brennan Johnson, but the striker is questionable for the match. Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi are out, too. Can Emmanuel Dennis lead the line if needed?

Newcastle got another goal from Miguel Almiron to beat Wolves, and Eddie Howe will hope this means the start of another hot streak for the Paraguayan. Meanwhile, the show’s been all about Bruno Guimaraes in the midfield and Sven Botman at the back. But can Nick Pope get over his possession foibles? The incredible shot stopper has been collecting gaffes the past month or so.

OUT: Taiwo Awoniyi (groin), Chris Wood (thigh), Scott McKenna (thigh),