Wolves look to continue their push for a top five finish as they welcome Newcastle United to Molineux.
A win for Wolves could send them up to fifth depending on results elsewhere, whilst Newcastle can move closer towards the top ten with victory here.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesDiogo Jota remains ruled out for Wolves with a dead leg suffered during their New Year Day defeat at Watford.
Morgan Gibbs-White (back) and Willy Boly (ankle) are also ruled out, although Boly is back in training but not thought to be ready for a first-team return yet.
Newcastle’s injury crisis is worsening although Ciaran Clark is fit to return from a calf injury.
Dwight Gayle (glute), Paul Dummett Miguel Almiron, Andy Carroll, Jetro Willems (all groin) and Yoshinori Muto (hip) are all expected to be fit although some could find themselves subject to late fitness tests.
DeAndre Yedlin (knee), Ki Sung-Yeung (knock) and Yoshinori Muto (hip) will all face fitness tests, whilst Allan Saint-Maximin (thigh) and Jamaal Lascelles (calf) aren’t expected to be risked ahead of Tuesday’s FA Cup replay against Rochdale.
Fabian Schar (groin), Javier Manquillo, Jonjo Shelvey (both hamstring) and Jack Colback (knee) are ruled out.
Form
Wolves have lost three of their last five league games (W2, L3) but have lost just one of their last eight domestic home matches (W4, D3, L1).
Newcastle have taken just one win from their last six in all competitions (W1, D1, L4), although they have scored in three of their last five away trips (W1, D1, L3).
Stat Attack
- Wolves are unbeaten in their last three Premier League (PL) meetings against Newcastle (W1, D2).
- Another 1-1 draw here would make it the second occasion in which these teams have shared three consecutive 1-1 draws, last doing so between November 2003-August 2010.
- Wolves haven’t beaten Newcastle at home in four previous PL clashes at Molineux (D3, L1), of which all three draws finished 1-1.
- Newcastle have received two red cards in nine PL meetings against Wolves, who are yet to have a player sent off against the Magpies in the PL despite collecting 24 yellow cards.
- Wolves have scored in 30 of their 36 games across all competitions so far this season.
Prediction
With both teams needing FA Cup replays in midweek, it might be easy to say that this fixture could be a damp squib if key players are rested but I can’t see that happening here.
Wolves will look to do most of the attacking as often is the case at Molineux but Newcastle are defensively astute against Wolves more than any other team in this tier, which has been one of the reasons why this has been closely fought in recent meetings between these teams.
I therefore do wonder if another draw could be on the cards but Newcastle do have a concerning injury crisis, so am going for a Wolves win purely because of the stronger quality currently available in their squad.
Prediction: Wolves 2-1 Newcastle United
Result: Wolves 1-1 Newcastle United