Will the Magpies end their recent slump?
For a long time, Newcastle United were on course for the Champions League in the Premier League. However, in the aftermath of losing the EFL Cup final, the Magpies have noticeably gone off the rails recently. After losing only two of their first 29 competitive games of the 2022/23 season, NUFC have recently suffered three defeats in a row. Accordingly, it is difficult to tip the outcome of Newcastle’s match against Wolverhampton.
While Wolves are 13th in the table, just five points clear of the first relegation spot, they are not doing overly well. However, since Julen Lopetegui has been in charge of the Wanderers, there have been five wins from eleven Premier League games (two draws, four defeats), which is only topped by five other teams in this time frame. Accordingly, the prediction on the outcome of Newcastle against Wolverhampton is unclear.
With the best defence in the Premier League by far (Newcastle have conceded just 17 goals in 24 games – less than twice as few as Wolverhampton with 35) clashing with the weakest offence (Wolverhampton have scored just 19 goals in 26 games), it is unlikely that there will be a goal festival at St James’ Park. Accordingly, the betting is that a maximum of one team will score.
There have been goals on both sides in 14 of the 15 Premier League duels between the two teams. Recently, however, the defensively strong Magpies have also found it difficult to score goals themselves. Newcastle have been without another competitive goal for 315 minutes.
Newcastle – Statistics & current form
Newcastle United are definitely one of the top names in English football, having won four domestic league titles and six overall. However, there has not been much to see of the Magpies in recent decades.
That is precisely what is to change in the future. Since a consortium led by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund took over the club from the north-east of the country in a precarious situation in October 2021, the curve has been pointing steadily upwards, partly due to the many big-name new signings.
Three consecutive league games lost
For long stretches of the season, the Magpies were in the fight for the Champions League. Although they are currently four points off fourth place in the table. However, NUFC have only played 24 league games, while current fourth-placed Tottenham already have 26 games under their belt. Accordingly, the train to the top flight is far from over.
However, Eddie Howe’s team must reverse the trend as soon as possible. After losing only two of their first 29 competitive matches of the 2022/23 season, the north-easterners have recently suffered three consecutive defeats in competitive matches.
Not scored in 315 minutes of competitive play
In addition to the missed title chance in the EFL Cup (0:2 final defeat against Manchester United), there was also nothing to be gained in the Premier League against Liverpool and Manchester City (both 0:2). The Magpies have now gone 315 minutes without another goal and have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last six competitive matches.
This compares to a run of six consecutive league games without conceding a goal in the Premier League. And because the north-easterners continue to have by far the best defence in the country (only 17 goals conceded in 24 games), the odds are clearly in favour of the home side when it comes to Newcastle v Wolverhampton.
Last matches played by Newcastle:
Premier League
04/03/2023 – Manchester City 2 – 0 Newcastle
Carabao Cup
26/02/2023 – Manchester United 2 – 0 Newcastle
Premier League
19/02/2023 – Newcastle 0 – 2 Liverpool FC
12/02/2023 – Bournemouth 1 – 1 Newcastle
05/02/2023 – Newcastle 1 – 1 West Ham
Wolverhampton – Statistics & current form
Wolverhampton Wanderers recently enjoyed a couple of good years under promotion-winning coach Nuno Espirito Santo. Since his departure, however, the football team from the English West Midlands has been a bit of a mess.
Last season, Wolves finished in tenth place under Bruno Lage, before making a complete mess of their start to the 2022/23 season. The consequence was the dismissal of the Portuguese, who was succeeded by Julen Lopetegui in November 2022.
Five points clear of the first relegation place
Under the Spaniard, things have visibly picked up again for the Wanderers of late, who have won five of eleven Premier League games under Lopetegui (two draws, four defeats). Only five other teams (Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Fulham and Liverpool) have won more often in the same period.
This means that Wolves, in 13th place in the table, are back in a reasonably secure mid-table position, although the cushion on the first relegation place is only five points. It would therefore be valuable if the team from the West Midlands could improve on this result at St. James’ Park.
Three wins in last six competitive games
The fact that Newcastle have won three of their last six league games against Wolverhampton (one draw, two defeats) – including wins against top clubs such as Liverpool (3-0) and Tottenham (1-0) – suggests that Lopetegui’s prediction of a point win for Newcastle against Wolverhampton is correct.
In addition, the Wanderers have also performed strongly against the Magpies recently. Wolverhampton have lost just one of their last ten games against NUFC (three wins, six draws). Consequently, the club from the West Midlands in the north-east of the country does not have to hide.
Last matches played by Wolverhampton:
Premier League
04/03/2023 – Wolverhampton 1 – 0 Tottenham
02/03/2023 – Liverpool FC 2 – 0 Wolverhampton
25/02/2023 – Fulham 1 – 1 Wolverhampton
18/02/2023 – Wolverhampton 0 – 1 Bournemouth
11/02/2023 – Southampton 1 – 2 Wolverhampton
Newcastle – Wolverhampton Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 33 – 29 – 42
There have been a total of 104 meetings between the two teams so far and with 42 victories the Wolves lead the direct comparison, who have also dominated this duel recently. Only one win for the Magpies can be found among the last ten meetings between the two clubs (six draws, three defeats).
Newcastle – Wolverhampton Tip
When it comes to Newcastle vs Wolverhampton, the betting odds do swing in the direction of the Magpies, who have lost just one of 12 league games at home in the 2022/23 season (six wins, five draws) and have the best defence in the Premier League, conceding just 17 goals. However, the north-easterners have seen their form slip a little of late. NUFC have lost their last three competitive games in a row and have now been without another goal for 315 minutes of competitive play.
Following on from that, Wolves could well have something to play for at St James’ Park, especially as the West Midlands club have been much stronger since signing Julen Lopetegui.
