Premier League: Climbing Wolves Could be Newcastle’s Problem

Newcastle United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

If this match, Premier League: Newcastle vs Wolves, had arrived a couple of months ago we would have had a home banker on our hands…but not now.

The arrival of Julen Lopetegui as manager of Wolves, at a time when the All Golds were engulfed by the relegation mire, turned out to be a pivotal moment in the Midlands club’s season and a decent run of results have seen them climb to 13^th in the table with a handy five point cushion and, if they continue their recent form, they can start to look upwards.     

Newcastle, on the other hand, are looking over their shoulders. Eddie Howe’s Magpies have won fantastic plaudits throughout the first half of the campaign, settling comfortably into the top four, but a downturn in form has seen them drop to sixth and a Champions League place seems to be slipping from the Magpies’ grasp. The Geordies have had a bruising couple of weeks, losing 2-0 three times, to some big guns; Manchester City and Liverpool in the league and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final. Meanwhile, Wolves picked up three superb points last week, beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0, a result which put Spurs’ head coach Antonio Conte under pressure.

The turnaround in fortunes of both clubs makes this a fascinating clash and the Newcastle vs Wolves betting odds say it can go either way.    

Talking Points

Magpies desperately need a win  

It may seem strange to say this is a must win game for a team which, this time last year was fighting relegation and now sits in the Premier League top six. But times have changed on Tyneside. Eddie Howe’s tenure at St James Park has been charmed so far but without a win in five games and the richest owners in world football, questions are being asked of him for the first time. 

Attacking midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has been Newcastle’s best player and he’s being tracked by Manchester City and Chelsea, and Geordie fans will be delighted to hear that their club is looking to tie their 25 year old Brazilian star down to a longer term deal. That doesn’t mean he won’t move to a more established club, but Newcastle don’t need to sell, and his commitment so far suggests he’d be happy to stay in the North East.

Champions League football would help of course.

Bruno has been carrying a niggle; but he has trained all week and looks set to start against Wolves, as is influential centre back Fabian Schar. 

Howe needs a win and he has a decision to make up front, whether to partner Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron, or whether Swedish striker Alexander Isak is ready to make a start.     

Sarabia’s Quality is a perfect fit for Wolves

The visitors will be on a high after beating Spurs, thanks to a late Adama Traore goal, and they now have a bit of space between them and the bottom three. Head coach Lopetegui has bought well and his January recruits have settled quickly and I expect Pablo Sarabia in particular to provide plenty of the Newcastle vs Wolves highlights.

The capture of the Spanish international from Paris Saint-Germain, for a fee of £4.4m, could prove to be an inspired move. He was on loan at Sporting Lisbon last year, scoring 15 goals and making eight assists in 29 appearances, and is just the type of player to fit into Wolves’ swift counter attacking style. The All Golds played some attractive football on their return to the Premier League but lost their way a little over the past year and Lopetegui is bringing back the quality.

Sarabia is keen to make his mark, saying: “It was amazing to play with Messi, Mbappe and Neymar and a very good experience, but for me the crucial thing is to feel important for the team.”

History

The head to head encounters are beautifully symmetrical over the past 20 years, with each side winning five and their have been ten draws.

The return match at Molineux resulted in a 1-1 draw as a late Allan Saint-Maximin volley equalised after Ruben Neves gave Wolves the lead.

Wolves’ recent form has been better than their hosts with three wins, one draw and two defeats, while the Magpies have just one victory, two draws and they have lost the last three. 

But Newcastle have been strong at home with six wins, five draws and a single defeat at St James Park.  

Betting Tip

Newcastle are priced at 1.65, here at SBOTOP, and Wolves are at 4.16. I suspect it will be another disappointing day for the Magpies and another good result for Wolves, with a repeat of the 1-1 draw at Molineux priced at 6.37.

 

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