Newcastle United welcome an in-form Wolverhampton Wanderers to St James’ Park in the opening Super Sunday clash.
A home win will lift Newcastle to 15th whilst Wolves can go sixth if they can take all three points.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesFabian Schar is ruled out for Newcastle with a knee injury picked up in training this week.
Andy Carroll is also sidelined due to a groin strain as the pair join Isaac Hayden (suspension) Matt Ritchie (ankle) and Florian Lejeune (knee) on the sidelines.
Wolves could have Pedro Neto after he missed their last two matches with a bruised heel.
Ryan Bennett however is ruled out with a groin injury picked up last weekend against Southampton.
Form
Newcastle have taken just four points from their last five matches, including two clean sheets of which both came at home against Brighton then Manchester United.
Wolves are unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions, although they have kept just three clean sheets in that time.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle are unbeaten in three of their last five meetings with Wolves (W2, D1, L2).
- Two of Wolves’ three goals last season against Newcastle came in the 90th minute, including Diogo Jota’s winner at St James’ Park last December.
- Raul Jimenez has scored three of Wolves’ four penalties across all competitions this season, with Ruben Neves the only other player to have done so.
- Newcastle are yet to score from the penalty spot this season in all competitions.
- Both teams have kept three clean sheets each from their opening nine league games.
Prediction
Wolves have had to dig deep twice already in the past week against stubborn opposition so I can see this game being a survival of the fittest for them, whereas Newcastle will be confident of another home win.
This therefore should be an interesting game because Wolves will play their high pressing game, whilst Newcastle will continue to play their fast counter style given their defensive quality despite Schar’s absence.
I am therefore confident that we should see an entertaining clash but fitness will be key in the closing stages for Wolves, so am going for Newcastle to extract revenge for December’s late heartbreak with a winner of their own this time round.
Prediction: Newcastle United 2-1 Wolves
Result: Newcastle United 1-1 Wolves