Wolves 1 Newcastle 2 - Report

It was a scrappy start to the game on Sunday afternoon until a superb team move from Wolves saw captain Mario Lemina tap home an opening goal.

Wolves endured a poor opening five minutes of the second half before taking a grip on proceedings and wasted good chances, while twice hitting the post.

Newcastle began to push for a way back into the game and had a slice of luck when Fabian Schar’s long range effort deflected off Craig Dawson before nestling in the net.

Wolves never recovered and just five minutes later, Harvey Barnes cut in off the left flank and curled home the winner, to leave Wolves rooted in the relegation zone with one point.

Analysis

Gary O’Neil made one change to the team that drew with Nottingham Forest before the international break, as he started in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Andre came in for his full debut, as Toti Gomes dropped out of the squad, meaning Rayan Ait-Nouri moved back to left-back.

Sam Johnstone was given the nod in goal, with Jose Sa taking his place on the bench and Dan Bentley not making the matchday squad.

New signing Carlos Forbs was named among a strong attacking bench.

Eddie Howe made three changes to his Newcastle side after their win over Spurs, as he played a 4-3-3 formation.

Schar, Lewis Hall and Jacob Murphy all came into the team.

Before the game, Wolves’ line-up would have suggested a 4-3-3 formation, but once the game kicked-off it was more of a 4-2-3-1 with Lemina and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde on either flank.

Wolves struggled to settle in the opening minutes of the game as Newcastle piled on the attacking pressure.

The hosts were opened up by a simple through ball as Murphy made a run between Dawson and Ait-Nouri, but his effort was tipped over the bar by Johnstone.

Once Wolves got on the ball they were often looking for passes through the lines and behind Newcastle. One excellent cross-field ball from Dawson set Nelson Semedo up for a tame shot, which was easily saved.

O’Neil then made a tactical switch less than 15 minutes into the game, as Lemina and Matheus Cunha swapped places, leaving Lemina as the number 10 and Cunha on the right flank.

In what was a cagey affair, Anthony Gordon almost burst into life when he barged beyond Semedo and Yerson Mosquera before curling an effort towards the far post, which clipped the post.

At the other end, Bellegarde did well in a foray forward to make space for a shot, which he fired over the bar.

Joao Gomes’ poor pass set Newcastle away, but a combination of Mosquera and Ait-Nouri eventually dealt with the danger, before Wolves then took the lead in the 36th minute.

J.Gomes won the ball in midfield before Cunha released Jorgen Strand Larsen down the right channel. He held off his marker before crossing low into the box, where J.Gomes delightfully left the ball and dumbfounded the Newcastle defence, handing Lemina a tap-in at the back post.

Lemina then had another good chance on the break when the ball fell for him on the edge of the box, but he fired well wide.

Wolves then entered the break leading 1-0.

As the teams came out for the second half, Newcastle made a triple change by bringing on Sandro Tonali, Joe Willock and Barnes for Sean Longstaff, Joelinton and Alexander Isak.

The visitors started the second half strongly as both Bruno Guimaraes and Schar came close with efforts, while there was a brief VAR check for handball by Dawson which was not given.

Johnstone was struggling with the ball at his feet and saw another pass closed down by Gordon.

But Wolves almost doubled their lead when Lemina played the ball around the corner for Larsen, who saw his first time shot smash the post.

The striker then had a header saved by Nick Pope as Wolves pushed for a second goal.

As the game ticked beyond the 65th minute, Wolves were able to contain Newcastle’s attacks and slowed down proceedings, with one eye on preserving their lead.

But Cunha had other ideas and darted into the box before firing at the near post, which he struck.

Wolves were defending deep and becoming desperate, with too many mistakes playing out from defence as the Magpies put on more pressure.

Eventually that pressure paid off, albeit in fortuitous circumstances, as Newcastle levelled.

The ball fell to Schar from distance, who took aim, and as Dawson attempted to get his head on the shot, he inadvertently deflected the ball into the top corner.

But it went from bad to worse as Molineux was left stunned just five minutes later. Barnes cut inside Matt Doherty on the left flank, shrugged off a challenge and curled home a magnificent effort into the top corner.

Wolves brought on Forbs and Goncalo Guedes late on to try and rescue a point, as eight minutes of added time was announced.

That news galvanised the Molineux crowd and Wolves began piling forward in search of an equaliser.

Cunha came closest with a volley that Pope saved with his fingertips, but the hosts were unable to find a way back into the game as they fell to defeat.

Key Moments

GOAL 36 Lemina taps home to put Wolves ahead

GOAL 75 Schar’s deflected effort drags Newcastle level

GOAL 80 Barnes curls home a beauty for the visitors

Teams

Wolves: Johnstone, Semedo (Doherty, 77), Mosquera, Dawson, Ait-Nouri (Forbs, 86), Andre (Doyle, 77), J.Gomes, Lemina, Bellegarde (Hwang, 70), Larsen (Guedes, 86), Cunha.

Subs not used: Sa, Bueno, R.Gomes, Sarabia.

Newcastle: Pope, Livramento (Trippier, 64), Schar, Burn, Hall, Longstaff (Tonali, 45), Guimarares (Kelly, 87), Joelinton (Willock, 45), Murphy, Isak (Barnes, 45), Gordon.

Subs not used: Dubravka, Krafth, Osula, Almiron.