Wolves 0 Newcastle 0 - Report

Wolves extended their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions with an entertaining goalless draw against Newcastle United.

Both sides created chances in an even first half, but both were missing a clinical finish in the final third.

Wolves were able to harness a renewed relationship with the Molineux faithful to push for a winner, but the Magpies also had their second half chances to steal all three points.

Neither side could snatch a game that was there for the taking and they shared the points.

Analysis

Rob Edwards made five changes from the team that beat Shrewsbury in the FA Cup last time out.

Jose Sa returned in goal, while Yerson Mosquera, Hugo Bueno, Mateus Mane and Tolu Arokodare all started.

That meant Sam Johnstone, Matt Doherty, David Moller Wolfe, Jhon Arias and hat-trick hero Jorgen Strand Larsen were dropped to the bench.

Emmanuel Agbadou made his return following his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations, and despite increasing interest in him from Turkish side Besiktas, he was named among the substitutes.

Tawanda Chirewa missed out through illness, while both Toti Gomes and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde are recovering from hamstring injuries.

Eddie Howe made four changes to the Newcastle team that lost to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg in midweek.

Hugo Bueno (Photo by Brett Patzke - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)

Lewis Miley, Jacob Ramsey, Jacob Murphy and Yoane Wissa made way for Kieran Trippier, Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Nick Woltemade.

J.Murphy picked up an injury in that game - not to be confused with young defender Alex Murphy named on the bench to face Wolves - and he joins a number of other players on the treatment table.

Fabian Schar, Tino Livramento, Emil Krafth, Dan Burn, Jamaal Lascelles and William Osula are all sidelined.

Newcastle also called up 18-year-old Leo Shahar, who spent a decade coming through at Wolves’ academy before joining the Magpies in 2023.

It was his sixth time being named on the bench in a competitive first team match, but before kick-off he had yet to make his debut.

The visitors started the game well and were moving the ball forward quickly, as Wolves stood firm in their defensive shape and absorbed the early pressure.

But Wolves did well to be aggressive in the press at the right times as they began to frustrate Newcastle and take control of the ball themselves.

Joao Gomes did superbly to win a 50-50 against Lewis Hall and release Jackson Tchatchoua down the right, but his low cross was cleared just ahead of Mane.

Woltemade came close for Newcastle when he headed Trippier’s cross just over the bar, following a short free-kick.

Mateus Mane (Photo by Brett Patzke - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)

At the other end, Mane did well to reach a long ball and get to the byline and his low cross almost gave Arokodare a tap in, but goalkeeper Nick Pope came out to claim it.

Mosquera nearly created the moment of the season when the centre-back ran the full length of the pitch with the ball and almost created a shooting opportunity.

The Molineux atmosphere was ramping up in response to Wolves’ brave display, but also in defiance to referee Sam Barrott, who had made a poor start to the game and was getting plenty of decisions wrong.

Wolves almost got another good chance when Mane played a delightful reverse pass for Arokodare, who could not trap the ball before it ran through for Pope to collect.

Another opportunity came when Mosquera’s long throw-in was flicked on by Santi Bueno, kept alive by Hwang Hee-chan and Mane’s volley was straight at Pope.

H.Bueno denied Newcastle when he blocked a Malick Thiaw header from a corner with his back while on the goal line, but it was unlikely to stand after a foul was given on Sa.

The half ended goalless between two sides that had done fairly well, while Wolves had looked the most likely to score.

The game was paused not long after the start of the second half when Mane accidentally caught Trippier in the face with his studs following a challenge, and the defender was left with a cut on his face and was bleeding.

Wolves v Newcastle (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Once the game was back under way, Mosquera headed over from a J.Gomes cross, following excellent work from Andre to win the midfield battle.

Neither side was able to grasp the opportunity to take the lead and it felt like a game that was there for the taking for Wolves, as they made chances in an attempt to find the opening goal, but Newcastle responded with a triple change of their own.

The Magpies went close when Barnes flashed a cross in and Wissa was inches away from meeting it at the far post.

The ball then nearly fell for Mane in the box after good work from Larsen, in what would have been a huge chance.

At the other end, Wolves were left frustrated when referee Barrott gave a very harsh foul against Mane, and Trippier came close to scoring directly from it.

Joelinton then almost netted from a header but Sa was equal to it.

Neither side could find that winning moment as they played out a goalless draw.