After a run of four home games in 10 days to kick off 2026, Newcastle are back on the road this weekend.
Sunday’s 2pm kick-off sees us travel to rock bottom Wolves, handing us a big chance to make it four Premier League wins in a row, respond to Tuesday’s cup defeat against Man City and build on our improved standing in the league after starting the weekend in 6th.
In a season that’s been consistently inconsistent, this one feels absolutely vital and a massive moment in our campaign, especially with the hectic run of games to follow, with PSV, Aston Villa, PSG and Liverpool all still to come this month.
This won’t be a walk in the park, mind. After picking up only two points from their first 18 points, Wolves have gone four games unbeaten, winning one (3-0 vs West Ham) and drawing two (1-1 at Man Utd and Everton) of their last three league games before beating Shrewsbury 6-1 in the FA Cup.
Does that mean we shouldn’t expect a win? No. But this isn’t quite the same down and out Wolves side and our away form has to improve, with the 3-1 win at Burnley a step forward after toothless 1-0 defeats to Sunderland and Man Utd.
Team news
Fabian Schar Tino Livramento remain long-term absentees, while Jacob Murphy is facing a ‘period of rest’ to help him manage an ongoing hamstring issue, despite scans showing no injury.
Dan Burn and Will Osula are edging closer to resuming training, but Emil Krafth and Jamaal Lascelles remain out.
Predicted XI
(4-3-3): Pope – Miley, Thiaw, Botman, Hall – Bruno, Tonali, Joelinton – Barnes, Woltemade, Gordon.
OUT: Ramsey, Murphy, Wissa.
IN: Tonali, Barnes, Woltemade.
Match prediction
Looking at our away form and Wolves’ upturn in form, this has banana skin written all over it if we take Rob Edwards’ side too lightly.
We have a lot to prove away from home and the hosts are playing with an element of freedom right now, so we must take confidence from recent wins and assert our dominance early.
I think it’ll be tight, but I back us to get the job done.
Prediction: Wolves 1-2 Newcastle
Howay the lads!
Man Utd 2 Man City 0 !
That’s what can happen when teams have a go at an inexperienced back four.
Not like our pathetic forwards in the first leg who couldn’t score to save their life.
“Intensity is our Identity” you’ve got to be kidding!
Joseph(Quote)
Sorry Man Utd 3 Man City 0 !
Pass the f’n bucket.
What a chance we squandered.
Joseph(Quote)
2-0 now disallowed goal, and Man Utd can actually defend.
Joseph(Quote)
Although it makes me want to throw up, Man United were magnificent today.
The Panther(Quote)
Football isn’t predictable, there are loads of variables which is what makes it great. If it was so simple to predict the bookies would be out of business and we’d all be rich😁😁Man u were great today with a new manager bounce and a better formation (players clearly weren’t comfortable in the 343). Remember they should be top 3 and I’m the last 4 of the CL every single year based on the £ they have \ spend. City were good against us and pretty poor today, complacent maybe?
That doesn’t mean we were ‘pathetic ‘ on Tues at all. City have spent billions, inc on a player who’s already been knocked out of the competition and did for us. We can’t spend anywhere near even 1% of what our owners have. Talk about harsh….
East Stand(Quote)
The Panther :-
Man Utd aren’t a great side, they just had a go against an inexperienced defence, something we should have done but didn’t.
Joseph(Quote)
Not to mention, Manure should’ve been down to 10. If that wasn’t a red card tackle I don’t know what is!
Question… how can Anthony Taylor, from Manchester , referee a game between Manchester United and Manchester City?
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Some odd results today. City, Liverpool and Arsenal all dropping points! Puts Villa in a very strong position. Us too if we could only start playing!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Is this a Man Utd fanzine today.,😵💫 Man City defenders are anything but inexperienced they are all top
Class kusanhov , Lewis , Ake , donnaruma in goal and Rodri in front …
Newcastle are not performing consistently ,have not figured out a system that works , brittle confidence and bought poorly in elanga and Ramsey plus wissa hardly played . Add in injuries and it’s amazing we have a chance to go 5 th .., Man City beat Newcastle because of fine margins not because they did not attack and inexperienced defence
Mike(Quote)
Aaah .. GBJosie’s illogical ranting continues. An apparently pathetic front line should have plastered a pl back line. How exactly, if they’re so bad??
As for the intensity stuff .. that was years ago and anyone with a semblance of rationality can see what the club are tying to do and why. It’s fair to say they’re struggling to be effective as they change but simply harking back to sound bites as criticism actually is pathetic.
GR(Quote)
Completely agree with you both, new manager bounce and formation change and would of looked at the chances we squandered to see that yes you can beat them.
kimtoon(Quote)
Wolves will not be a pushover and if our players go on the pitch thinking they are then they will be toast.
We seriously need to pick up our away form and exert a bit of dominance, and should we be lucky enough to get ahead, then press on instead of retreating like timid Timmy’s. We keep showing our soft belly, time to show our bite.
kimtoon(Quote)
Absolutely Kim! I’m so. Tired of us sitting back when we get a lead and just giving it up. They need to understand the game is 90 mins long, not 15!
I really hope we go at them today. A win would get us into 5th and really help us mentally too.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Looks like my virgin tv is working now so can watch game, not gonna cancel the engineer visit though cause been getting a few issues for a while.
kimtoon(Quote)
HWTL
kimtoon(Quote)
Some tough fixtures beyond this one – which is no walk in the park either by the way.
I’d love a controlled, dominant win & clean sheet today to build a bit of confidence – but take 3 points however they come first.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Here we go
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Oh nick that’s poor
kimtoon(Quote)
What a dreadful pile of sh.ite that was … be lucky to get a 0-0 here. 😡
Gilly Toon(Quote)
So poor in front of goal!
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Wolves are bending us over here. I see us losing this. We might get lucky though. Zero shots on target against the bottom team in the league. I’d say shocking but quite frankly I think we’ve been lucky with the run we’ve had recently.
WellDuh(Quote)
I see your game. The reverse jynx! Fingers crossed for a 6 nil second half haha
Barry(Quote)
Nicks miss was shocking
kimtoon(Quote)
Tonali looks asleep. I’d take him off for Wissa and change the shape.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
That’ll be the newborn mate
kimtoon(Quote)
We are struggling with the low block and so slow in our build up at times. Nowt from 17 crosses into the box first half is a concern.
kimtoon(Quote)
Tonali is awful
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Looks like a disorganised relegation scrap this. Not an 8th v 20th game.
Coloccini Shagged My Wife(Quote)
This is a painful watch
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Probably the best shot all day that
Barry(Quote)
Considering we’re playing Man City I think we’re doing quite well….oh wait
Oh Wait!(Quote)
A point then, that was hard going.
kimtoon(Quote)
Solid point against a tough Wolves. You can’t expect to beat teams at the bottom of the league…🙄
You can win away games?(Quote)
Absolutely awful performance. We didn’t have a shot on target until 85th minute. Against bottom of the table team. Absolutely dog shi.te. 😡😡
Only one who stood out was Hall.
Gilly Toon(Quote)
Hard to find much positive in that. We don’t need wholesale changes but we do need to accept that this setup isn’t appropriate for teams like Wolves. Pointless playing 3 in the centre.
Criminal lack of shooting.
Howe the toon(Quote)
Well we best enjoy the table this week because looking at the next fixture I think the mackems will go above again 😡 you just can’t be not winning games like this. Unacceptable!
Barry(Quote)
Well over £100 mil for two forwards,still get shot on target
Icedog(Quote)
Got to be time to try a different shape away from home, doesn’t need wholesale change but a 4411 or 4231 to give more threat is absolutely worth a go Eddie
East Stand(Quote)
I put the snooker on at HT and it was more exciting!!.
I’d accept a good point away if I felt we’d done everything to try and take all 3 – but at no point of that game did I feel we were playing with any level of urgency – I think our first shot on target came in the 86 min.
No issues playing that was if we are ahead – but we never looked like scoring today & never really threatened them at all.
Too slow, poor passing in the final final third, too many backward passes – boring, stale, hard to watch.
The players can do so much better than they are – but Howe sets the tempo!!. He should be on the touchline demanding the ball be moved quicker – but nope.
Then there’s half time & he gets to talk to them – and they come out & play no different 🤷🏼♂️.
Then he gets to make substitutions – and the players that come on play exactly the same way 🤷🏼♂️.
I know people say there have been worse times in recent years and I get that – but am I excited by watching NUFC this season – mostly not at all.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Just when I think we cannot play any worse, we come up with that. 🤮
Gilly Toon(Quote)