After gaining a first point of the season, Wolves will now target all three when Newcastle United come to town, and wolves.co.uk has all you need to know.
1 | Roll Call
Gary O’Neil admits he faces selection headaches heading into Sunday’s visit of Newcastle, but for positive reasons, with an almost full squad of players to choose from and with additional depth following the deadline day arrivals of Sam Johnstone, Andre and Carlos Forbs. The former pair both made their debuts against Nottingham Forest last time out, but winger Forbs could be among the group to face the Magpies following his first goal for Portugal under-21s earlier this week. There is a debate around who will take the number one shirt with Johnstone and Jose Sa battling for the goalkeeper position, while the addition of Andre could see O’Neil switch formation to include the Brazilian alongside usual starters Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes. However, the head coach revealed the skipper, as well as Yerson Mosquera and Rayan Ait-Nouri, face late fitness tests after sustaining injuries while on international duty.
Newcastle have been handed a boost ahead of the trip to Molineux with Fabian Schar set to return from his three-game suspension after the Swiss international was sent off just 30 minutes into the first game of the season. Emil Krafth filled in at centre-back alongside Dan Burn, but Schar is expected to come straight back into the side on Sunday. However, Eddie Howe will be without fellow centre-backs Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles due to long-term injuries, while Lewis Miley and Callum Wilson are also out of this weekend’s clash and Joe Willock will take a late fitness test.
2 | The Stat Pack
Goals
- Goncalo Guedes | 2
- Joelinton (and four others) | 1
Assists
- Mario Lemina (and four others) | 1
- Jacob Murphy (and three others) | 1
Biggest win
- Wolves 2-0 Burnley | August 2024
- Newcastle 2-1 Tottenham | September 2024
Cards
- Joao Gomes (and one other) | 2
- Dan Burn (and three others) | 2
3 | Journey to Sunday
Since their heavy defeat to Chelsea on matchday two, Wolves have shown signs of turning the corner. A much-changed eleven comfortably dispatched of Championship side Burnley in the Carabao Cup and then the Old Gold picked up a creditable point at Nottingham Forest – their first in the Premier League this term. New signing Sam Johnstone was joined in the starting eleven by Craig Dawson and their pair’s presence helped solidify a defence which was breached six times just one week earlier. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s strike – good enough to be nominated for the Goal of the Month – earned a point at the City Ground. The hunt for a Premier League win remains though, and that will be the target back on home soil against the Magpies.
Newcastle will check in at Molineux still unbeaten in the Premier League. Their win over Tottenham Hotspur last time out was the most impressive of their results this term, with Alexander Isak scoring the all-important winner. They’d also won on the opening day at home to Southampton, despite playing much of the game with ten men following Fabian Schar’s dismissal. So often strong at home, but it was on the road where they dropped their only points, drawing 1-1 at Bournemouth a fortnight ago. Anthony Gordon was on target to earn a point with 13 minutes remaining and now they’ll be hoping for a first win on their travels.
A 🚀 from JRB pic.twitter.com/R3VaSNhTEP
— Wolves (@Wolves) August 31, 2024
4 | Channy at the double
Wolves have gone three years without a victory over Newcastle, with the last two Molineux fixtures finishing all square between the two teams. That win in October 2021 was also the day Hee Chan Hwang truly announced himself on the Old Gold stage. The South Korean showed his finishing prowess with two smart strikes, both following assists from Raul Jimenez. Jeff Hendrick had the Magpies level at the break, but Hwang slid home the winner in front of the South Bank to earn Bruno Lage’s Wolves the win.
Wolves | Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Marcal, Neves, Moutinho, Hwang (Adama 89), Trincao (Dendoncker 86), Jimenez.
Newcastle | Darlow, Clark, Fernandes, Manquillo (Murphy 70), Ritchie, Joelinton, Hayden, Longstaff, Willock (Hendrick 35), Almiron (Gayle 77), Saint-Maximin.
