Player rankings as Magpies transfer above Liverpool into fifth

Newcastle United returned to successful methods with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at residence to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday afternoon, climbing into the Premier League high 5 with the membership’s first top-flight triumph in eight weeks.

The Magpies got here into the competition with the fewest objectives in 2023 throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues whereas Wolves had been the bottom scorers throughout your entire marketing campaign in English skilled soccer. Perhaps understandably, each managers fielded fully new-look ahead strains.

The alternative striker Julen Lopetegui deployed was controversially denied an opportunity to interrupt the impasse by a mixture of the officers and Nick Pope halfway by the primary half. Raul Jimenez pounced upon a heavy contact from Newcastle’s goalkeeper and tumbled below a shoulder barge as Pope hurriedly tried to rectify his error. Both the on-pitch referee and VAR ignored the strident protestations.

Alexander Isak was one of many alterations Eddie Howe turned to and justified his choice inside half an hour of kick-off. The Sweden worldwide eased Jonny Castro Otto out of his option to meet Kieran Trippier’s set piece unchallenged, flicking a header into the far nook to finish Newcastle’s five-and-a-half-hour anticipate a purpose simply six minutes after Pope’s controversy.

Newcastle did not capitalise when within the ascendancy and had been shifted onto the again foot after the break by their reinvigorated guests.

Wolves equalised within the seventieth minute by a fog of confusion. Hwang Hee-chan was considered one of 5 substitutions made throughout a break in play seconds earlier than Trippier and Pope obtained their wires crossed, with each Newcastle gamers making an attempt to clear the identical ball. Trippier beat his goalkeeper within the race however slipped as he cleared, presenting Hwang with an open purpose.

Lopetegui’s first raft of adjustments swiftly led to the equaliser however his change to a again 5 to guard Wolves’ lead had the precise reverse impact. Miguel Almiron, himself a substitute, performed a crisp one-two with Joe Willock round a staggered mess that was as soon as the visiting defence, rifling Newcastle again in entrance within the 79th minute.

For the primary time since Boxing Day, Newcastle scored a couple of purpose in the identical Premier League sport which proved to be sufficient to ship Howe’s aspect above Liverpool and into fifth.

GK: Nick Pope – 3/10 – Desperately shaky along with his toes however alert as ever when pressured to soiled his gloves.

RB: Kieran Trippier – 6/10 – A potent menace in open play however notably from set items, unnerving Wolves’ rearguard with each lifeless ball. Slightly tarnished his show with the error for the equaliser.

CB: Fabian Schar – 7/10 – Back from a head harm and returned his confidence in possession to Newcastle’s defence.

CB: Sven Botman – 5/10 – Didn’t assist out his goalkeeper by repeatedly rolling the ball again to him after his earlier blunder.

LB: Dan Burn – 6/10 – Struggled to stay with Traore when defending one-on-one however brought about his reverse winger issues by lumbering ahead himself.

CM: Sean Longstaff – 6/10 – Combined nicely with the versatile triangle down Newcastle’s proper flank.

CM: Bruno Guimaraes – 7/10 – Even up towards the silk-lined Wolves midfield, Guimaraes’ guile nonetheless stood out.

CM: Joe Willock – 6/10 – Constantly crashing into Wolves’ field so as to add an additional man to Newcastle’s assaults.

RW: Jacob Murphy – 5/10 – A keen runner with and with out the ball.

ST: Alexander Isak – 8/10 – An absolute handful, stretching and straining Wolves’ backline to breaking level as he relentlessly hared across the last third.

LW: Allan Saint-Maximin – 5/10 – The stuttering run which preceded his raft of take-ons mirrored his punctuated involvement in proceedings.

Substitutes

Miguel Almiron (68′ for Saint-Maximin) – 7/10 – Took full benefit of the widening gaps down the appropriate flank.

Callum Wilson (69′ for Isak) – 5/10

Matt Ritchie (85′ for Murphy) – N/A

Manager

Eddie Howe – 6/10 – Putting apart Pope’s luck, Newcastle gifted Wolves their clearest likelihood in a contest which might have been rather more routine had Howe’s aspect been scientific within the first half.

GK: Jose Sa – 6/10 – Couldn’t do something about Isak’s header however saved Wolves within the contest for giant spells.

RB: Nelson Semedo – 4/10 – Managed to manage and include Saint-Maximin’s wiggling however waned because the match wore on.

CB: Craig Dawson – 4/10 – Left in a daze by all of Isak’s hustle and bustle.

CB: Max KIlman – 4/10 – Clearly instructed to play by Newcastle’s excessive press, Kilman tried to stay to the crew orders however usually left his teammate’s with unhelpful hospital passes.

LB: Jonny Castro Otto – 5/10 – Shouted for a shove within the again from Isak for the opening purpose however – not for the primary time – Wolves’ howls of protest went unheard.

CM: Ruben Neves – 5/10 – Afforded freedom to saunter ahead by Mario Lemina’s deep positioning.

CM: Mario Lemina – 5/10 – The ballast within the visiting midfield crunched into a number of well-timed tackles however struggled to take care of all of Newcastle’s surges ahead.

CM: Joao Moutinho – 5/10 – Spent most of his time scampering after the ball quite than exhibiting off his class in possession.

RW: Adama Traore – 3/10 – A typical Traore efficiency; often beat his man however scarcely picked out a teammate on the finish of a hurdling run. Hooked at half-time.

ST: Raul Jimenez – 4/10 – Two days after the year-long anniversary of any Wolves striker scoring a Premier League, Jimenez didn’t come all that near breaking the drought.

LW: Daniel Podence – 5/10 – Hit the bottom of the publish with a low skidding first-half effort.

Substitutes

Pedro Neto (46′ for Traore) – 5/10 – Added a bit extra objective however not rather more end-product than Traore.

Hwang Hee-chan (69′ for Neves) – 7/10 – Could not have dreamed of a greater – or faster – influence.

Rayan Ait Nouri (69′ for Jonny) – 5/10

Matheus Nunes (70′ for Podence) – 5/10

Nathan Collins (75′ for Moutinho) – N/A

Manager

Julen Lopetegui – 4/10 – Took the entire wind out of his personal aspect’s sails with a very defensive change which very a lot backfired.

Player of the match – Alexander Isak (Newcastle)