Newcastle United Eyes Improvement Ahead Of Key Wolves Encounter

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Eddie Howe believes Newcastle United have not yet reached their peak performance this season, despite securing seven points from their first three Premier League matches. They aim to maintain this momentum against Wolves at Molineux.

Newcastle's campaign began with a victory over Southampton, even after Fabian Schar was sent off. They followed this with a 2-1 win against Tottenham and a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth. These results place them fifth in the early standings, but Howe sees room for improvement.

The Magpies have faced a league-high 54 shots in the 2024-25 season, averaging 18 shots conceded per game—their highest on record since 2003-04. At Friday's pre-match press conference, Howe stated: "We've had some very good results, we're really pleased with the start we have made in what is a difficult league. Performance-wise, we haven't hit top gear."

Howe acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying: "We are going into a spell where we have difficult games away from home." He also praised Wolves' recent performance against Nottingham Forest and expressed respect for Gary O'Neil's tactical acumen.

Wolves needed three games to earn their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw with Forest, following defeats to Arsenal (2-0) and Chelsea (6-2). Manager O'Neil anticipates a tough match against Newcastle, highlighting Alexander Isak as one of the best forwards in the league.

"They have an abundance of quality attacking players. Isak is one of the best number nines in the league for me," O'Neil said. "I'm looking forward to getting back to Molineux and seeing if we can start to upset a few people like we managed last season."

Players to Watch

Wolves - Andre: With captain Mario Lemina doubtful for Sunday's game, Andre may make his full debut after joining from Fluminense. Between his Serie A debut in September 2020 and his departure, Andre led in possession won (756) and successful passes (6,574) in Brazil's top flight.

Newcastle - Alexander Isak: Isak has been directly involved in 18 goals in his last 20 Premier League appearances (15 goals, three assists). Since Boxing Day last year, only Erling Haaland (20) and Cole Palmer (17) have scored more than Isak (15).

Match Prediction

Molineux promises entertainment as both teams have scored in all nine previous Premier League meetings between Wolves and Newcastle. This fixture has never featured a clean sheet, while Newcastle have only failed to score once in their last 23 league matches—a 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in April.

No Premier League team currently has a longer run without a shutout than Wolves, who have conceded in each of their last 15 matches. Wolves have only won one of their last 13 league games and are winless in their last six home matches (one draw, five losses).

Opta Win Probability

Newcastle enter Sunday’s match as favourites, having won three of their last five Premier League games against Wolves and drawing the other two.

The upcoming match will test both teams' resilience as they strive for crucial points early in the season.