Match ends, Newcastle United 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.
Newcastle took a huge step towards Premier League survival as Chris Wood's penalty proved enough to beat a blunt Wolves side at St James' Park.
The January signing slammed home the second-half winner at the Gallowgate End after being fouled by Wolves keeper Jose Sa at the end of a flowing team move.
VAR checked if Sa had made adequate contact, after an earlier review had denied Wood in the first half, when he saw a goal chalked off because team-mate Bruno Guimaraes was narrowly offside in the build-up.
Wolves failed to touch the ball in the Newcastle area in a dire opening half and manager Bruno Lage will wonder why it took until the 80th minute for his side to work home keeper Martin Dubravka when Fabio Silva forced a diving save.
Newcastle - who saw Allan Saint-Maximin fire over the bar before Wood's goal and Guimaraes go close to adding a second - thoroughly deserved to end a run of three straight defeats with this win.
It moves them 10 points clear of the relegation zone - though 18th-placed Burnley have two games in hand - while Wolves stay eighth and lose crucial ground in their push for a Europa League spot.
"It has put us in a stronger position but I still think we have work to do," boss Eddie Howe told BBC Sport. "The home games are key for us but we want to pick up points wherever we go.
"At this stage of the season, it is about results. We are well aware we need to continue to get points. I think it's results over performances at the moment. There will be a time when we can evolve."
Sloppy Wolves let Newcastle profit
Howe had reason to be ecstatic, having taken over a side who were 19th in the table and five points from safety in November.
The Newcastle boss has a quote which reads "make each day your masterpiece" on a wall in his office. This display was by no means joyful or pretty in its crafting, but it was one where Newcastle were always the likelier winners thanks to their consistent effort and sporadic quality across the 90 minutes.
Wolves were fortunate when VAR chalked off Wood's close-range finish in the first half. Guimaraes raced on to a superb flick by substitute Miguel Almiron - on for the injured Ryan Fraser - and was fractionally offside.
In the aftermath, Wolves captain Conor Coady could be seen screaming at team-mates in a bid to rise some kind of energy and application.
It never really arrived and, gradually, the home side started to create half-chances after the break until Saint-Maximin and Joelinton combined to send Wood clear in the game's key moment.
Wood's finish ensured Newcastle beat a side in the top half of the table for the first time this season and also carried them to a fourth successive home win - their best run since March 2019.
Lage was left wondering how his side - with eight away wins to their name this season - could be so poor, particularly in the first half.
"In the second half we had clearer ideas," said Lage. "The first five minutes of the second half, we were more aggressive in the final third than in the first 45 minutes. I think we missed a big opportunity."
Wolves are one win away from equalling their record mark of 16 victories in a Premier League-era top-flight season - set in 2018-19 - but their first-half display here set the tone for a night of despair.
They delivered one cross in the first 45 minutes, compared with 14 after the break. In the opening half they completed 31% of their passes in the final third compared to 74% in the second period.
It was a bemusing showing. A Europa League campaign is still well within reach but Wolves will need to find much more than they did here on a night where Newcastle took advantage to earn a key win in their bid for survival.
Line-ups
Newcastle
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Dúbravka
- 17Krafth
- 5SchärBooked at 56mins
- 33Burn
- 13Targett
- 39Bruno GuimarãesSubstituted forS Longstaffat 88'minutes
- 8Shelvey
- 7Joelinton
- 21FraserSubstituted forAlmirónat 13'minutes
- 20Wood
- 10Saint-MaximinSubstituted forMurphyat 90+5'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Dummett
- 6Lascelles
- 11Ritchie
- 19Manquillo
- 23Murphy
- 24Almirón
- 26Darlow
- 34Gayle
- 36S Longstaff
Wolves
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Sá
- 15Boly
- 16Coady
- 23Kilman
- 19Castro Otto
- 39Cundle
- 28João MoutinhoBooked at 87mins
- 5MarçalSubstituted forAït-Nouriat 86'minutes
- 11Machado TrincãoSubstituted forCampbellat 78'minutes
- 26Hwang Hee-chanSubstituted forNetoat 78'minutes
- 17Fábio Silva
Substitutes
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 7Neto
- 14Mosquera
- 20Tomás Oliveira
- 21Ruddy
- 22Nélson Semedo
- 24Gomes
- 27Saïss
- 77Campbell
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
- Attendance:
- 52,164
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home41%
- Away59%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away5
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away2
- Corners
- Home1
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Newcastle United 1, Wolverhampton Wanderers 0.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Jacob Murphy replaces Allan Saint-Maximin.
Post update
Attempt saved. Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Joelinton.
Post update
Attempt saved. Joelinton (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Sean Longstaff replaces Bruno Guimarães.
Booking
João Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by João Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Post update
Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Rayan Aït-Nouri replaces Marçal.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jonny (Wolverhampton Wanderers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Emil Krafth (Newcastle United).
Post update
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Martin Dúbravka.
Post update
Attempt saved. Fábio Silva (Wolverhampton Wanderers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Luke Cundle.
Post update
Attempt missed. Fábio Silva (Wolverhampton Wanderers) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Marçal with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Chem Campbell replaces Trincão.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Pedro Neto replaces Hwang Hee-Chan.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by João Moutinho.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Player of the match
Bruno GuimarãesBruno Guimarães
Newcastle United
Avg
- Squad number39Player nameBruno GuimarãesAverage rating
8.27
- Squad number20Player nameWoodAverage rating
7.58
- Squad number33Player nameBurnAverage rating
7.36
- Squad number7Player nameJoelintonAverage rating
7.24
- Squad number5Player nameSchärAverage rating
7.21
- Squad number1Player nameDúbravkaAverage rating
7.19
- Squad number13Player nameTargettAverage rating
7.06
- Squad number24Player nameAlmirónAverage rating
6.99
- Squad number8Player nameShelveyAverage rating
6.93
- Squad number17Player nameKrafthAverage rating
6.92
- Squad number10Player nameSaint-MaximinAverage rating
6.50
- Squad number21Player nameFraserAverage rating
6.03
- Squad number23Player nameMurphyAverage rating
5.92
- Squad number36Player nameS LongstaffAverage rating
5.89
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Avg
- Squad number7Player namePedro NetoAverage rating
4.50
- Squad number1Player nameJosé SáAverage rating
4.45
- Squad number16Player nameCoadyAverage rating
4.42
- Squad number23Player nameKilmanAverage rating
4.37
- Squad number77Player nameCampbellAverage rating
4.34
- Squad number28Player nameJoão MoutinhoAverage rating
4.29
- Squad number19Player nameJonnyAverage rating
4.26
- Squad number15Player nameBolyAverage rating
4.24
- Squad number3Player nameAït-NouriAverage rating
3.95
- Squad number39Player nameCundleAverage rating
3.93
- Squad number5Player nameMarçalAverage rating
3.82
- Squad number17Player nameFábio SilvaAverage rating
3.67
- Squad number11Player nameTrincãoAverage rating
3.38
- Squad number26Player nameHwang Hee-chanAverage rating
3.19
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Comments
Join the conversation
The toon have a WC player there.
Also nice to see Wood has been to the Harry Kane school of winning penalties too.
Hugely underrated Manager and was welcome to Saints as a Manager at any time.
Stick with him Toon as you've got a good Football man there and from my understanding one of the hardest Managers around.
Well done on securing pretty much safety, PL not the same without Newcastle.
Newcastle not a lot better but thoroughly deserved the win.
The good news - Newcastle safe and Wolves probably safe from "qualifying" for Europe's wooden spoon competition aptly named the Conference.
On to next season for both clubs.
And both have some rebuilding to do.
That's Newcastle pretty much safe, can't see any of the relegation teams getting over 34 points.