Newcastle’s Important Win Over Wolverhampton Wanderers
Newcastle United’s 1-0 triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers on September 13, 2025, at St James’ Park was their first win of the 2025–26 Premier League season. It ended a streak of three games without a win. Nick Woltemade, who the club paid £69 million to sign from VfB Stuttgart in the summer, made an immediate impact by scoring the game-winning goal on his first game.
The game got off to a shaky start, with Nick Pope making two important stops in the first minute to stop Rodrigo Gomes and Hwang Hee-chan. As the game went on, Newcastle got better and better. A perfect cross from Jacob Murphy let Woltemade lose his opponent and head home at the far post. He got a standing ovation when he was taken out of the game in the 64th minute because of his fast movement, link-up play, and calmness. According to the best betting apps, Newcastle are 8/2 to finish in the Champions League places this season, so they will be hoping performances like this continue
Fabian Schär and Dan Burn made important plays on defence, Sandro Tonali controlled the midfield, while Valentino Livramento stood out at right-back. Newcastle had 56.7% of the ball and nine corners, which indicated they were in charge, even though Bruno Guimarães and Kieran Trippier looked tired from playing for their countries. The third clean sheet in four games showed that the defence was strong.
Tactical and Performance Insights
Newcastle’s win was their first lead and win since beating Chelsea 2-0 in May 2025. They took advantage of their chances, even if they only hit the target four times out of sixteen efforts (Wolves hit the target three times out of eight). Harvey Barnes had a hard time, and a possible second goal was called offside, but replacements, especially William Osula and Joe Willock, kept the spirit up.
Manager Eddie Howe was sure to rotate players wisely, giving Joelinton a break before the forthcoming FC Barcelona match. This showed that he wanted to keep players fresh throughout a busy schedule.
A New Attacking Era in the Summer Transfer Window
Newcastle’s summer moves changed how they attacked. The big news was that:
Nick Woltemade (£69m from VfB Stuttgart): A 6ft 6in striker who scored 17 goals in 2024–25.
Yoane Wissa, who came from Brentford for £55 million, scored 20 goals last season and is a proven top-flight player.
Anthony Elanga, who came from Nottingham Forest for £55 million, adds speed and directness on the wing.
Jacob Ramsey (£43 million from Aston Villa): Adds depth and energy to the midfield.
Malick Thiaw (£35m from AC Milan): Makes the middle defence stronger.
Aaron Ramsdale (from Southampton) gives the team more competition in goal.
The total cost was more over £250 million, although they got money back when players like Alexander Isak left for Liverpool for £125 million and Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff left for West Ham United.
Wissa’s signing came down to the wire, with reports saying it was finalised with 30 seconds left on deadline day after a representative ran through the training ground to file the paperwork. This was to avoid a collapse like the one that happened with the famous David de Gea fax machine saga.
Woltemade and Wissa: What to Do Instead of Isak
It will be hard to find someone to replace Isak’s 23 league goals from last season. Woltemade and Wissa scored 37 goals together in 2024–25, and commentator Paul Merson has told them to do even better.
Woltemade’s first goal showed off his strength in the air and his smart movement. Wissa, who is currently playing for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is set to make his debut against Wolves or Barcelona.
The Athletic says that their overlapping skill sets (aerial threat, support runs) make it unlikely that they would start together right away. Instead, Howe will use Wissa as a main starter and Woltemade will come in later. The £124 million price tag for both players shows that Newcastle wants to compete in the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, EFL Cup, and FA Cup.
Transfer Rumours: Looking to Get Kobbie Mainoo
TalkSPORT says that Newcastle is interested in Kobbie Mainoo from Manchester United, which means that people are already thinking about January. Mainoo has only played 73 minutes this season under manager Ruben Amorim, and he is thought to be upset. The Sun says that Newcastle is getting ready to make a bid of £35–40 million.
Howe likes Mainoo’s energy and passing, and he thinks he will be a great addition to a midfield that relies on Guimarães, Tonali, and Joelinton, with Lewis Miley, Willock, and the injured Ramsey as backup. With eight Champions League games coming up and Ramsey out with a foot injury, it’s important to add depth to the team.
Last season, Mainoo played in 35 league games, scoring five goals and setting up three more. However, talks could be more difficult because United doesn’t want to sell a native player.
September Schedule: A Time of Change
Between September 13 and October 1, Newcastle will play six games in 19 days:
13 Sep: Beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–0
September 18: UEFA Champions League match vs FC Barcelona
21 Sep: AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League
24 Sep: EFL Cup against Bradford City
28 Sep: Premier League match against Arsenal
1 Oct: UEFA Champions League match vs Union SG
Newcastle’s popularity is obvious because seven of their next ten games will be on TV. Howe needs to be very careful with injuries and tiredness for the big games against Barcelona and Arsenal. As the team rotation gets more intense, academy prospect Alfie Harrison may potentially be needed.
