Newcastle v Wolves predictions: Home defence likely to be penetrated

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Newcastle United v Wolves in the Premier League on Friday

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Both teams to score
2pts 21-20 Betfair, Paddy Power

Team news

Newcastle
Callum Wilson, Kieran Trippier, Isaac Hayden and Jamal Lewis are all set to miss out but Miguel Almiron is fit again. Eddie Howe is set to make a late call on Joe Willock (knee).

Wolves
Striker Raul Jimenez remains suspended while Ruben Neves is ruled out for at least the next month with a knee injury.

Match preview

A total of five draws between Newcastle and Wolves in their last six meetings suggests the teams may be difficult to separate when they kick the weekend's Premier League programme into action on Friday and they have been inconsistent enough for punters to tread carefully.

Relegation appeared a very real possibility for the Magpies even after the Saudi takeover, and although their fears have eased after some decent January investment, a look at their recent results might suggest they think the hard work has already been completed.

Eddie Howe's side have suffered 1-0 defeats to Chelsea and Everton and while they put up a decent first-half display against Tottenham, they were swept aside after the break and lost 5-1.

Solace can be taken from their form at St James' Park, even though it is more than a month since they were in action on Tyneside.

Champions Manchester City, who left with a 4-0 victory, are the only team to have won there in Newcastle's last nine league games and they have posted victories in their last three which have gone a long towards seeing them move away from the bottom three.

However, they have kept just two clean sheets at home this season and that should provide encouragement to punters going for goals.

Bruno Lage's visitors have been a tough team to get a grip on lately as they have won five and lost five of their last ten matches.

But they have won three of their last four and the exception was a 3-2 home defeat to Leeds when they had been two goals up.

They have looked stronger on the road than at home on occasions, winning five of their last seven away games.

Among their notable successes have been wins at Manchester United, Tottenham and Brentford, a team who, like Newcastle, have managed to drag themselves out of trouble with some decent results.

Newcastle's defence had a difficult time against Spurs when trying to contain attacks in the channels, and it is quite possible that towering centre-half Dan Burn would have preferred to face the suspended Raul Jimenez.

Wolves have the ability to threaten and when that is married to Newcastle's winning home run and problems keeping the ball out of the net, it is slightly surprising to see both teams to score available at odds-against.

Key stat

Both teams have scored in ten of Newcastle's 14 Premier League home games this season

Inside info

Newcastle

Penalty taker Chris Wood
Free-kick wizard Jonjo Shelvey
Set-piece aerial threat Chris Wood
Card magnet Jonjo Shelvey

Wolves

Penalty taker Hwang Hee-Chan
Free-kick wizardJoao Moutinho
Set-piece aerial threatRomain Saiss
Card magnetRomain Saiss

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