Ange Postecoglou remains convinced he can turn around Nottingham Forest's flagging fortunes after Sunday's disappointing 2-0 reverse at Newcastle United.

Bruno Guimaraes' long-range stunner and Nick Woltemade's penalty were enough for the Magpies to seal the points against Forest at St. James' Park.

Postecoglou was once again subjected to chants from the stands, with the Australian the first Forest boss since 1925 not to win any of his opening seven games.

Forest sit 17th heading into the international break but the former Tottenham manager remains adamant he can have an impact in the Forest dugout.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "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."

Postecoglou is also Forest's first manager not to win any of his opening four league games since 1960, while the Tricky Trees have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of the last 15 top-flight games they have played – their joint-worst record since returning to the Premier League.

Asked if he was surprised not to win yet, Postecoglou added: "Nothing surprises me in football. 

"We have gone through this period where it is three-and-a-half weeks since I've come in and things haven't gone the way we'd have loved, but it doesn't deter me. 

"We have a couple of weeks of work with some of the lads in the international break. We will turn the fortunes around."

Postecoglou was seen shaking his head on the touchline after Guimaraes' opener, with Forest clearly of the opinion the Newcastle midfielder had fouled Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up to the goal.

Reacting to that controversy, Postecoglou said: "I guess this is the world we have created where referees won't make decisions. 

"I think without VAR he makes a decision there but with it, he lets it run. Something we have to live with."