15 September 2024
Wolves 1 Newcastle 2
It has been a tough start to the season for Gary O’Neil’s side. Wolves were winless from their first three games, with just a solitary draw to show for their efforts. Defeat against Newcastle at Molineux would see their worst start to a Premier League campaign since they were promoted to the top-flight back in 2018. The Magpies on the other hand had made an unbeaten start to the season.
Eddie Howe’s side started positively and found it all too easy to play through the Wolves midfield. Guimaraes fed the ball into the feet of Murphy, whose shot forced a smart save from Johnstone, tipping the ball over the crossbar. It was a nice move from The Magpies, showing how dangerous they were on the counter-attack.
Shortly after, Gordon waltzed his way through the hosts’ defence. Nutmegging and side-stepping players, he arrived in the box and looked to bend one in the far corner. Sadly for Newcastle his shot clipped the outside of the post and went wide. Great play from the England winger, showing why some big clubs were interested in signing him during the summer.
A stray pass from Joelinton gifted the ball to the hosts deep in the Newcastle half. Semedo rode his luck as he bundled his way past Hall, looking to pick out Cunha in the middle. The Brazilian got his shot away but it was well blocked, protecting Pope’s goal when danger loomed. The game was starting to open up a little after a slow start.
It is a strange situation at Newcastle currently. Sporting Director Paul Mitchell recently stated that he took over a transfer policy that is not fit for purpose. Despite having the huge financial backing of the Saudi state, when it comes to transfers, it still seems like the club is shopping in Lidl. There are a couple of exceptions to the rule but in the main, not many of their starting eleven would get into the ‘big six’ teams.
His comments seem to have wound up many at St James’ Park but maybe it is all a ploy to get them to prove him wrong this season. Their brief adventure in the Champions League seems a long time ago now but that is surely the aim for this season. Getting results against the bigger sides seems be a big hurdle for Eddie Howe’s side currently.
Longstaff gave the ball away and Wolves punished the visitors dearly. Strand Larsen beat Burn out wide and put a teasing cross in across the box. Gomes stepped over it to leave it for Lemina to slot home at the back post with ease. The Magpies looked all over the shop from the moment they gave the ball away to the point where they picked it out of the back of the net.
Neither side were looking comfortable in possession. They were both guilty of giving the ball away too often. As Wolves attacked, Lemina tried to play it into the path of Cunha. Burn cut it out but in doing so, gifted it back to him. Fortunately for Newcastle, he shanked his left-footed shot wide of the goal when it seemed he had the target at his mercy.
Howe made a trio of changes at the interval. One of which saw Tonali back in the side since his long ban for betting breaches. Immediately the visitors seemed to have more about them with both Willock and Barnes combining before Guimaraes tried his luck from range. Johnstone was equal to it as he beat the ball away.
Wolves came forward for the first time in the half when Lemina played the ball into Strand Larsen in the box. There seemed no danger with his back to goal and the player tightly marked. Somehow, he spun to get a shot away which struck the base of the post with Pope beaten. So close to doubling the lead for O’Neil’s side.
Lemina was the standout player for the hosts. He swung in a cross from the touchline which perfectly picked out Strand Larsen. His glancing header forced a good save from Pope as he reacted well to get down and keep the effort out. Wolves were sensing that they could get another goal in this game to give them some breathing space.
Then came the sucker-punch for the hosts. Schar tried his luck from outside the box with Johnstone seemingly having the effort covered. It clipped off the head of Dawson and went into the top corner to give Newcastle the goal they had been craving. You wondered whether this body blow would knock the wind out of Wolves’ sails.
No more than five minutes later, The Magpies continued to press Wolves. The ball was picked up by Barnes some way out but the winger backed himself. He curled a stunning effort into the top corner of the goal to send the away fans wild. Newcastle had turned this game around and pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat in an instant.
As the hosts threw players forward in search of an equaliser it left them open at the back. Barnes fed the ball into the path of Tonali in the box but his shot was well saved by the feet of Johnstone. The keeper had kept his side in the game there. Gordon was still livid that the ball had not been played into him as he was in acres of space to run at goal in the build-up.
Gary O’Neil’s side almost found an equaliser when Cunha struck a superb volley from the penalty spot. Pope was at full-stretch as he clawed the ball out of the goal. This late in the game you felt that stop had won the three points for the visitors. All they had to do now was hold onto what they had to make the trip up north a more enjoyable one.
The Magpies held onto the win to ensure that they made their best start to the season since the Bobby Robson era. Newcastle moved into third place in the table, with three wins from their first four games. Wolves remain in the bottom three and continue to search for their first win of the Premier League campaign.
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