Newcastle v Wolves: Inside track on Steve Bruce's side

We spoke with Neil Harrison, from the NUFC Blog, and Liam Kennedy, football writer for the Shields Gazette, to get a proper take on Steve Bruce's side.

See what he had to say here...

It's obviously been a turbulent summer for Newcastle, how would you describe their start to the season?

NH: With us currently being in the relegation zone, it's hard to say the start has been good.

But with all the goings-on this summer and the late appointment of Steve Bruce as head coach, it's to be expected.

We've had some good wins away at Spurs and against Manchester United at St James Park. However, we've had two performances that have been unacceptable.

The 0-0 draw at St James Park against Brighton was very poor. Newcastle conceded 70% of possession to Brighton at home. Then the 5-0 drubbing at Leicester City was a low point when the players hanged their heads and capitulated in the second half.

So the start has been one of peaks and valleys.

LK: Difficult. The uncertainty from the summer has really rolled into the season.

Newcastle fans want Mike Ashley gone and until that happens - which is very unlikely - there is a constant cloud hanging over the club.

Steve Bruce has to work under that, but in many ways he's also a symptom of the disease. A manager who has done little to warrant getting the job, bar being a Geordie.

Since he's taken the job has done little to prove people's doubts wrong. Newcastle lack goals, lack any kind of threat but remain pretty compact at the back.

What sort of business did Newcastle do in the transfer window - and what have you made of it?

NH: The transfer window saw Newcastle spend big for the first time since 2015 - which happened to be our last relegation season.

There were a total of five incomings. We made a record signing in Brazilian striker Joelinton for £40m from Hoffenheim. We also brought in French winger Allan Saint-Maximin from Nice for around £20m.

The other signings were a left-back and right-back in Jetro Willems on loan from Frankfurt and Emil Krafth from Amiens. Of course, Andy Carroll made his return to Newcastle as a free agent.

The big issue is that we did not replace striker Salomon Rondon, who was on loan last season and is now in China or forward Ayoze Perez, who was sold to Leicester City for £30m.

They were our leading scorers last season and the big worry this summer was how to replace their goals. Joelinton has never been a prolific scorer in his career and so far only has one goal in his nine starts.

Allan Saint-Maximin has come on in the past two games and been outstanding after suffering an early-season hamstring injury.

Jetro Willems has come in for the injured Matt Ritchie at left wing-back and been very good. Emil Krafth started early but seems to have lost his place to DeAndre Yedlin who recently returned from a hernia operation.

Andy Carroll is being used as a late-game substitution due to his fitness history.

All in all, it was a decent summer for Newcastle but we really needed to sign Salomon Rondon on a permanent deal. That would have solved a lot of our problems.

LK: They lost Salomon Rondon, Ayoze Perez and Mo Diame, all key cogs in Rafa Benitez's machine.

The legs of Diame has only just been replaced by teenage sensation Matty Longstaff, while Joelinton has cut a forlorn figure up top.

Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron have not filled the boots of Perez, who is one of the most underrated Premier League players around.

His workrate, fitness and finishing ability will come to the fore for Leicester City this season, even if they don't realise it now (he always starts slow and ends strong).

What kind of football can Wolves expect from Steve Bruce's side?

NH: You can expect counter-attacking football from Newcastle.

Wolves will likely have the lion's share of possession as Newcastle like to sit back and try to hit teams on the break.

We should be very well set up in defense and play with three centre-halves. Our wing-backs also often sit very deep, though with Jetro Willems and DeAndre Yedlin now the starters, they have the pace to bomb forward often.

Our issue is scoring goals as we have only scored five all season. We've got just one from our front three of Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron, and Joelinton.

LK: They'll see a similar formation to Benitez's but a slightly different approach.

Fabian Schar will see plenty of ball at the back, with Jetro Willems and DeAndre Yedlin providing plenty of width and forward runs.

The energy in the middle will come from Matty Longstaff, while his brother Sean - linked with a £50million move to Manchester United - is the more cultured of the two.

Up front is the problem. Almiron and Saint-Maximin have pace in abundance, and the Frenchman possesses an impressive box of tricks, but end product has been non-existent.

Are there any injury worries at St. James' Park?

NH: The injury situation is clearing up nicely after having seven players out in the early part of the season.

We only have two players who were not available for Chelsea this past weekend. Left wing-back Matt Ritchie, who suffered an ankle injury in the Carabao Cup match in late August, and centre-back Florian Lejeune, who tore knee ligaments last season.

Both players are close to a return and have an outside chance of featuring at the weekend against Wolves. We also have defensive midfielder Isaac Hayden who will miss this Sunday's game due to a red card suspension.

On Wednesday, it was reported that centre-back Fabian Schar and striker Andy Carroll could miss the Wolves match with new injuries. Schar suffered a slight knee injury at Chelsea and is being assessed while Carroll has tweaked his groin and is unlikely to be available.

LK: Matt Ritchie has been out for some time following an ankle operation, he is a big miss in this side.

Florian Lejeune is another who would walk into the starting XI if fully fit.

United have options on the bench now with Dwight Gayle back fully fit. It would be no shock to see him get the nod on Sunday.

Schar is out too.

What's your predicted XI for the game?

NH: There have been murmurings that Steve Bruce will give Dwight Gayle a shot up-front due to our lack of goals. Though it's likely to be the same team that featured in the last two matches.

Martin Dubravka; Deandre Yedlin, Paul Dummett, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark, Jetro Willems; Matty Longstaff, Sean Longstaff, Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin, Joelinton.

LK: Martin Dubravka; Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark; DeAndre Yedlin, Matty Longstaff, Sean Longstaff, Jetro Willems; Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron; Joelinton (or Carroll).

Who are the big threats to worry about at Newcastle from a Wolves perspective?

NH: You'll have to worry about the pace of Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron who are very dangerous with the ball at their feet. However, both have failed to produce a final product this season.

Our lone striker Joelinton has fed off scraps all season and has just one goal to show for it.

We do have pace down the flanks with DeAndre Yedlin and Jetro Willems who love to bomb forward.

It's all going to depend on how many chances Newcastle can create. So far, we haven't been able to do that but I have faith that Joelinton can score if given the service.

LK: I know some fans are not the biggest fan of XG statistics but Newcastle United's paint a grim picture - and it is for that reason Wolves don't have an awful lot to fear.

Newcastle have scored just five goals this season and have an expected goals of just 6.14. This team don't score much and don't create much either.

They had ZERO shots on target at Chelsea.

What have you made of Wolves from afar? Do you think they have what it takes to battle on domestic and European fronts?

NH: I can tell you I am very envious of the way Wolves have gone about their business.

They seem to be a very well run club and made some excellent buys in the transfer market. They are right now where I would like to see Newcastle get to.

This season I think Wolves started slowly but have turned a corner with the four-match unbeaten run.

Though I think most Wolves fans will be disappointed with the draw last week against Southampton. It may be a case where the international break came at a bad time after the big Manchester City win.

As Newcastle found out in 2013, European competition takes a lot out of a team. Newcastle finished fifth in 2012 and followed that up with a Europa League run in 2013.

However, their domestic form suffered and they ended up finishing 16th.

Newcastle even brought in five players in the winter window that season to cope.

Wolves should make it out of their group as they seem to easily be the pick of the four-teams.

I think Wolves have a big enough squad to compete on both fronts but I would caution you that you could see a dip in domestic form.

LK: Obviously Wolves have not quite hit the levels of last season and at times Nuno has seen his odds for the chop slide but I think putting Europa League football in the mix, the club are progressing well.

That competition can take it out of you - the last time United were in it they almost got relegated having finished fifth the season before.

They've recruited well, even if they've had an unfair advantage on certain players due to their link with Jorge Mendes and overpaid for many in their ranks, even if not in the up front fee.

I like this Wolves side. They've been a really positive addition to the Premier League - and I'm sure they'll progress on the continent too.

Quarter finals has to be a base target - it always was for NUFC, even if that seems like a very distant memory.

Your match prediction?

NH: Newcastle have played well in the last two games despite being dominated in the second-half against Chelsea.

We need to pick up wins and I think we have a motivated group to do that at home on Sunday.

Taking into consideration that Wolves play on Thursday at Slovan Bratislava, I'm going to say Newcastle score two goals for the first time this season and win 2-1.

LK: 1-1. This could be a week where Newcastle trouble the scorers, but not too much. Let's not get carried away.

You can read Neil's work here.Meanwhile, you can follow Liam on Twitter here.