Newcastle United host Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James’ Park on Saturday, a side beaming with quality despite their slow start to the Premier League season.
The international break is almost over, and the fans will be delighted to see the Magpies back on home soil after two weeks away.
Newcastle United will play their second home game of the season on Saturday, taking on Premier League strugglers Wolves, who are yet to pick up a single point in their opening three games of the season.
Eddie Howe’s side will be keen to get their first win on the board after two goalless draws against Aston Villa and Leeds United and a late defeat to Liverpool. Newcastle could come up against striker Jorgen Strand Larsen on Saturday if he is deemed fit enough by Vitor Pereira’s medical team.
Strand Larsen was of interest to Newcastle during the summer transfer window, but Wolves rejected two approaches for the striker before the transfer window closed in early September.
While the Norwegian striker will be one to look out for, three other players could cause some bother to the Magpies’ backline.
Jackson Tchatchoua warms up before a Premier League game between Wolves and Everton
Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
Jackson Tchatchoua
Having signed during the summer transfer window, Jackson Tchatchoua has already made quite the impression for Wolves after making his debut against Bournemouth in August.
The 23-year-old clocked in a top speed of 37.3 km/h this season, making him the fastest player in the Premier League and the third-fastest player on record.
MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES
As a right-sided player, his pure pace could prove to be a problem for whoever plays at left-back for Newcastle on Saturday. Whether it is Tino Livramento or Lewis Hall, who has only just returned from injury, they will no doubt be left gasping for air if he breaks away.
Tchatchoua came on during Wolves’ Carabao Cup win against West Ham to help them come back from 2-1 down, assisting Strand Larsen.
Andre carries the ball during a Premier League game between Wolves and Manchester City.
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Andre
Joining Wolves in 2024 as part of their Brazilian recruitment drive, midfielder Andre has settled into Premier League life very nicely.
The 24-year-old made 33 appearances in the Premier League last season, helping Wolves keep their status as a top-flight club, where he played an insane amount of minutes during their seven-game unbeaten streak.
Andre has played alongside Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes on six occasions for the Brazil national team, but they will now act as enemies when Wolves make the trip to St James’ Park.
Newcastle must look out for Andre’s superb passing, strong interception capabilities, and desire to put in a tackle.
The midfielder is also daring, often shooting from distance.
Fer Lopez carries the ball during a Premier League game between Wolves and Everton.
Photo by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Fer Lopez
Another one of Wolves’ summer signings, Fer Lopez is a bit like a young Ayoze Perez, known for being a nuisance to opposition defences.
Newcastle have been solid at the back for the majority of this season, but Lopez’s tricky playmaking abilities could pose a threat to whoever is tasked with protecting Nick Pope at the back.
Lopez has only played 45 minutes of Premier League football this season, but his recent showing against Everton has Wolves fans believing he is ready to make his first start since signing.
With Tchatchoua’s pace, coupled with Andre’s tackling and Lopez’s playmaking abilities, Newcastle could be in for a tough time at St James’ Park.
However, Newcastle have their own quality players who will be eager to make a difference against Wolves. The likes of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa will be in line to make their debuts on Saturday, and both will be keen to hit the ground running.