Wolves are back in Premier League action this weekend following the international break, with Vitor Pereira’s side taking a trip to the north east to face Newcastle United – and wolves.co.uk is here to preview Saturday’s game at St James’ Park.
1 | Roll Call
With a Wolves record of 15 current first-team players having gone away with their countries on international duty last week, Pereira’s squad have all returned in good health ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Newcastle. The two most recent summer signings, striker Tolu Arokodare and defender Ladislav Krejci, both starred for their nations and could be in line to make their Old Gold debuts. Back at Compton last week, Ki-Jana Hoever returned to training after missing the visit of Everton a fortnight ago with a knee injury, however, Jorgen Strand Larsen will miss the trip to St James’ Park as he continues to recover from his Achilles issue which also put him out of the loss to the Toffees last time out.
Eddie Howe was handed an injury woe during the international break, after new signing Yoane Wissa came back from representing DR Congo with a knee injury. Although Howe has given no return date for the forward, he is expected to miss this weekend’s match, and the Newcastle boss also confirmed fellow new addition Jacob Ramsey will also be out of action until October with an injured ankle. However, there was some good news for Howe, with Joelinton being back fit and big money attacker Nick Woltemade ready to make his first appearance for the Magpies.
Tolu in training 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/SFsGafuFWh
— Wolves (@Wolves) September 11, 2025
2 | The Stat Pack (all comps)
Goals
- Jorgen Strand Larsen | 2
- Bruno Guimaraes | 1
Assists
- Jackson Tchatchoua | 1
- Tino Livramento | 1
Biggest win
- Wolves 3-2 West Ham United | August 2025
- N/A
Yellow cards
- Matt Doherty | 2
- Dan Burn | 1
3 | Journey to Saturday
Wolves are still looking for their first Premier League victory of the season having suffered defeat to Manchester City, Bournemouth and Everton ahead of the international break. However, Pereira’s side have tasted success in the Carabao Cup, having knocked fellow top flight outfit West Ham United out at the second round stage to set up a third round clash with the Toffees at Molineux later this month.
Newcastle sit just three places and two points ahead of the Old Gold heading into Saturday’s match with the Magpies also still waiting to get off the mark in the Premier League this season. From their three matches so far in 2025/26, Howe’s side have earned a pair of goalless draws away at 10-man Aston Villa and Leeds United, while the only game they have scored in so far saw them lose to a last-minute Liverpool winner at St James’ Park.
4 | Back in the big time
Wolves and Newcastle first went head-to-head in the Premier League back in 2003/04, and both meetings that season ended in 1-1 draws. After Alan Shearer cancelled out Nathan Blake’s opener at Molineux in November, the teams faced off at St James’ Park six months later, but despite the hosts being sat in 6th and Wolves in 19th, they still could not be separated.
Lee Bowyer put Newcastle into the lead on that day in May 2004, as he ghosted on to Shola Ameobi’s cross put give his side a first-half advantage, but Romanian forward Vio Ganea levelled up when he punished Titus Bramble for an error in the penalty box.
Goalkeeper Paul Jones saved Shearer’s penalty to earn his side a point and put a dent in Newcastle’s Champions League hopes, but the result was not enough to prolong Wolves’ stay in the top flight, with relegation confirmed for the Old Gold after a single Premier League season.
Newcastle | Given, Hughes, Caldwell, Bramble, Bernard, Ambrose (Chopra 80), Bowyer, Speed, Robert (Viana 80), Shearer, Ameobi.
Wolves | Jones, Irwin (Ganea 65), Okoronkwo, Butler, Naylor (Rae 31), Newton, Ince, Cameron (Gudjonsson 90), Kennedy, Camara, Cort.
