WERE you watching Paul Mitchell?
Eddie Howe and his Magpies couldn’t have sent out a clearer message to their new sporting director following his recent toxic comments.
Mitchell controversially questioned Howe’s transfer dealings, claiming the club’s transfer strategy was “not fit for purpose” – raising fears of a civil war brewing at St James’ Park.
Well, Howe’s buys looked pretty good value for money here, in front of their watching critic – who failed to get Marc Guehi’s deal over the line this summer.
Meanwhile, two Howe bargains, Harvey Barnes and Nick Pope proved their worth, turning this game on its head as the Magpies made it three wins out of four.
They cost Howe less than £50million for the pair and looked sensational value for money.
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Barnes produced a sensational winner ten minutes from the end as he exchanged passes with Joe Willock, then brushed aside a tame challenge from sub Matt Doherty before unleashing a 23-yarder high into the top corner.
While we were still catching our breath, Wolves piled forward in search of a stoppage-time equaliser and thought they had it when Matheus Cunha sent a volley towards the far corner.
However, Pope hurled himself to his left to claw the ball to safety.
Both earned their bonus.
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X usually marks the spot where this fixture is concerned – especially for those who like a flutter.
A staggering 61 per cent of the Premier League meetings between this pair (11 out of 18) have ended in a draw.
That’s the highest percentage of any Premier League game to have been played at least 15 times.
Throw in the fact Wolves had drawn seven of their last nine Premier home games against Newcastle and it was clear this affair was likely to be tighter than an Aberdonian on flag day.
And so it proved.
Wolves just managed to edge an edgy first 45 minutes, which was short on clear-cut scoring chances, thanks to a brilliant counter-attacking goal which had Gary O’Neil purring in delight.
Joao Gomes nipped in to nick possession from Sean Longstaff and the ball was rapidly shifted out to Jorgen Strand Larsen wide on the right.
The Norwegian hitman tormented Dan Burn with a cross which flew between the defender’s legs as it flashed across the face of the Geordie’s goal.
Gomes had carried on his run and brilliantly dummied the ball to leave Fabian Schar floundering.
And Mario Lemina stole in at the back stick to gleefully fire into an empty net from six yards to open the scoring.
Talk about a sucker punch.
Lemina then fluffed a decent chance to double Wolves’ lead just before the break when his attempted pass to Cunha broke back to him off Burn.
However, with the goal at his mercy, the Gabon international screwed his left foot shot hopelessly wide.
Newcastle will feel they should have gone in at least on level terms after they came so close to breaking the deadlock following a bright start.
Jacob Murphy tested Sam Johnstone with a first-time effort from Alexander Isak’s pass but the ‘keeper brilliantly flipped the ball over with his fingertips.
Then, midway through the first half Anthony Gordon cursed his luck after coming so close to opening the scoring.
The in-form England winger left Nelson Semedo for dead then brushed off Yerson Mosquera before curling a right-footer which beat Johnstone, only to smack off the far post.
By half-time, Howe had seen enough and turned to his bench to make a triple substitution.
Joelinton, Isak and Longstaff were told their services were no longer required as they were replaced by Sandro Tonali, Barnes and Joe Willock.
Bruno Guimaraes had a long-range effort palmed away by Johnstone before Craig Dawson survived a penalty appeal.
VAR agreed with ref Chris Kavanagh that there was no intent as the defender’s arm caught the ball as he fell following a challenge from Willock.
Wolves came close to putting the game out of sight but Larsen crashed a shot off the base of Pope’s post before the Norwegian saw a header scrambled away by the keeper.
Then Cunha unleashed a ferocious shot which Pope diverted with his left glove.
Wolves paid a heavy price as Newcastle then snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
Schar hauled them level with a sensational strike to celebrate his return after a three-match ban.
Willock fed Bruno who laid the ball into the defender’s path, Lemina was sluggish to close down and from 25 yards Schar smashed the ball into the top corner with the help of a slight deflection off Dawson.
But Newcastle weren’t content to settle for a draw and five minutes later Barnes produced his brilliant solo strike.
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Then, in stoppage time, Pope reacted brilliantly to keep Cunha’s volley out at full-stretch to secure all three points.
And give Mitchell a timely reminder of their worth.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
