Newcastle United 3 (Isak 14, Gordon 33, Livramento 90+2) Wolves 0
Wolves’ four-game winning run finally came to an end at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon as Newcastle United ran out three goal winners, in a game which was much closer than the scoreline suggested.
From a quick attack, Alexander Isak put Newcastle ahead before Anthony Gordon added a second before the break as the Magpies took the chances which fell their way, while the Old Gold spurned several opportunities at the other end.
With Wolves pushing to reduce the deficit late in the game, the hosts added a third from another counter, as Tino Livramento fortunately bundled the ball past substitute goalkeeper Dan Bentley.
At a rain-drenched St James’ Park, Wolves started brightly but were unable to turn their chances into goals with Pablo Sarabia seeing an effort deflect wide after clever play in the build-up by Rayan Ait-Nouri, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.
Both teams were trying to catch each other out on the counter throughout a frenetic first 45 minutes, with Wolves going long to try and find Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, but the winger was flagged for offside, before Newcastle went straight up the other end with an opportunity that ended in the arms of Jose Sa.
But it was the hosts who took the lead inside the opening quarter of an hour, with Newcastle again breaking with pace. Three on three, with Wolves’ centre-backs running back towards their own goal, Gordon played Bruno Guimaraes down the left and his cross was deflected off Toti, falling kindly to Isak at the far post to turn home.
Wolves tried to get back on level terms quickly, with Sarabia once again seeing a shot from distance blocked by the deep lying black and white defence, while Pedro Neto was unable to have a chance at goal despite his pace causing Newcastle problems.
Both teams spurned big chances with Dan Burn firing wide from a good position and Kieran Trippier smashing a free-kick into the Wolves wall, before Toti could only head over the crossbar when an Old Gold corner was flicked on to the far post by Craig Dawson.
As the rain continued to lash down in the north-east, Jacob Murphy tried to catch Sa out from distance, with his shot slicing off the wet surface, but the keeper did well to get his body behind the ball and keep it out the net.
But the Newcastle winger didn’t have to wait long to have an impact on the scoreline, with his cross from the right moments later being spilled by Sa when the keeper collided with Maximilian Kilman, allowing Gordon the easiest of chances to double his side’s advantage before the half-time break, as he turned the ball in from close range.
Half-time | Newcastle 2-0 Wolves
Having been forced into two changes at half-time, with Neto and Sa replaced by Nathan Fraser and Bentley, Wolves came out looking the better side after the break, but luck just wasn’t with them in the north-east as the 50/50 moments seemed to favour the hosts.
However, the Old Gold were indebted to Toti in keeping the score down as the defender did brilliantly to get a toe to the ball off the goalline as Isak was allowed a free header inside the Wolves box.
Wolves pushed on as they looked to reduce the deficit, with Bellegarde coming close with an effort that took a slight deflection before heading over Martin Dubravka’s crossbar.
The Newcastle keeper was the host’s hero as the half progressed, with the Slovakian able to palm away a Fraser effort which looked goalbound after a powerful driving run by Lemina through the heart of the black and white shirts, before he made a point-black save to deny Sarabia at the far post.
Despite being on the front foot for most of the second half, Wolves still had to deal with the Newcastle threat, with Bentley making himself big at the far post to stop Miguel Almiron after the winger had been played in over the Old Gold defence.
As they pushed for a late goal, which almost came as Sarabia lifted a brilliant first-time ball into the penalty area which just couldn’t be turned home before Kilman fired over the rebound, Wolves were caught out by a Newcastle breakaway third.
Livramento burst forward down the Magpies’ right after being chased by Ait-Nouri all the way, and although the Wolves man got a tackle in, the rebound ricocheted off the Newcastle man and the ball found its way past Bentley – putting the game to bed and condemning Wolves to their first Premier League away win in three.
Full-time | Newcastle 3-0 Wolves
Newcastle | Dubravka, Trippier (Livramento 53), Botman, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Murphy (Miley 70), Guimaraes, Gordon (Anderson 90), Willock (Almiron 70), Isak (Barnes 70).
Unused subs | Karius, Lascelles, Krafth, Hall.
Wolves | Sa (Bentley 46), Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Toti (H. Bueno 60), Ait-Nouri, M. Lemina (Traore 81), Doyle, Sarabia, Bellegarde (Chirewa 81), Neto (Fraser 46).
Unused subs | Doherty, Okoduwa, S. Bueno, N. Lemina.
Referee | Tim Robinson
