Wolverhampton Wanderers return to Premier League duty today with Newcastle United arriving at Molineux for a 2pm GMT kick-off, and the context around the fixture is stark. Wolves start the day 20th with seven points from 21 matches, while Newcastle sit ninth on 32 points from 21, a gap that underlines the scale of the task facing Rob Edwards even as recent results have hinted at a change in mood.
That lift has largely come since the calendar flipped. A chaotic first half of the season left Wolves marooned, but the opening weeks of 2026 have at least offered encouragement: the league’s first win finally arrived with a 3–0 home victory over West Ham on 3 January, followed by a 1–1 draw away at Everton, before a confidence-boosting 6–1 FA Cup third-round win over Shrewsbury Town on 10 January. Goals have flowed in that spell, and the sense around the ground is that the performances are starting to match the urgency of the situation, even if the table still looks unforgiving.
Newcastle’s latest outing brought a reminder of how demanding the schedule becomes for teams fighting on multiple fronts. A 0–2 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg defeat to Manchester City on 13 January was a setback, but Eddie Howe’s side have carried strong league form into this trip, including a 2–0 win over Crystal Palace and a 4–3 thriller against Leeds United earlier this month. The Magpies have also stayed alive in the FA Cup, edging past Bournemouth in the third round after a 3–3 draw that went all the way to penalties.
Selection will be one of the biggest storylines, and neither manager has a clean slate. Wolves will be without Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Toti, while Tawanda Chirewa has been ill, and the club captain remains a long-term absentee. The hosts do at least have bodies returning to the group, with Emmanuel Agbadou back from international duty and no fresh issues reported after the recent unbeaten stretch. Newcastle’s injury list is clearer and significant: Fabian Schär has undergone surgery on an ankle ligament injury and is expected to miss around three months, while Jacob Murphy is out with a hamstring problem. Jamaal Lascelles, Emil Krafth and Tino Livramento also remain sidelined, with William Osulaand Dan Burn working back but this match likely arriving too soon.
Key individuals will inevitably shape how the game feels. Wolves’ attacking upturn has been led by Jørgen Strand Larsen, their top scorer with six goals, and he’ll be central again if the home side are to turn pressure into points. Newcastle’s most consistent finisher this season has been Harvey Barnes, who comes into the weekend with 11 goals, while Bruno Guimarães continues to set the tempo and provides a steady creative edge, including a strong assist return.
Tactically, it has the makings of a contest decided by transitions and composure rather than sheer possession. Wolves will want the crowd engaged early, playing on the front foot and capitalising on the energy that has appeared in recent weeks, but there’s a risk in over-committing against a Newcastle side that can break quickly and punish loose structure. For the visitors, the challenge is balancing control with the defensive absences—especially without Schär—while keeping their attacking rhythm intact after a cup disappointment.
With the bottom club trying to turn a promising January into genuine survival traction and Newcastle looking to keep pace with the teams above, the stakes are obvious. Another positive Wolves performance could make this uncomfortable, but Newcastle’s recent league edge suggests they’ll travel believing that a disciplined display—and one decisive moment from their in-form forwards—can tilt the afternoon their way.
