Nick Woltemade claimed the winning goal on his Magpies debut, heading home Jacob Murphy’s first-half cross at the back post.
Sandro Tonali, who was the best player on the pitch by a distance, struck the post towards the end of the first half, but while Newcastle were unable to extend their advantage, their third clean sheet of the season meant one goal was sufficient.
What were the main talking points from the Magpies’ win?
**WOLTEMADE’S DEBUT**
Had Yoane Wissa not picked up a knee injury while on international duty with DR Congo last week, Nick Woltemade would almost certainly have started today’s game on the substitutes’ bench.
As it was, with Wissa unavailable, Newcastle’s club-record signing was thrust straight into the starting line-up a fortnight after completing his £69m move from Stuttgart.
For all that he might have boasted an impressive scoring record with Stuttgart last season, the towering Woltemade is not supposed to be a ‘natural number nine’. He might stand at six foot six, but all the talk when he signed was that the Germany international was arriving as a link player rather than an out-and-out centre-forward. His strengths were on the floor, rather than in the air.
So much for that then. It took Woltemade just half-an-hour to open his account in a black-and-white shirt, and when his debut goal arrived, it came courtesy of a headed finish Alan Shearer would have been proud of.
Jacob Murphy hung up a cross from the right, and after peeling off Emmanuel Agabdou, Woltemade powered home a back-post header. “Woltemade, Woltemade, ole, ole, ole,” rang around St James’. Alexander who?
The German made way midway through the second half, having begun to tire after the interval, but this was still a more than satisfactory first showing. Newcastle’s new attacking era has begun.
**TONALI’S EXCELLENCE**
This was a helter-skelter kind of game, surprisingly open, and with neither side really able to exert much control or retain the ball for lengthy spells.
The exception to that rule was Sandro Tonali, with the Newcastle midfielder outperforming everyone else on the pitch thanks to his poise, assurance and metronomic passing.
While other players scurried around, with the ball pinging off them, Tonali calmly pulled the strings at the heart of the Magpies midfield, holding on to the ball, consistently finding team-mates and never appearing rushed or ruffled.
He almost scored on the stroke of half-time with a shot that cannoned away off the inside of the post, with his attention largely switching to his defensive duties in the second half. Thanks to his running and ability to take the ball under pressure, Newcastle were able to prevent Wolves creating any clear-cut chances after the interval.
**DEFENSIVE SHAKINESS**
Newcastle’s win was built on their third clean sheet in their opening four matches of the season. Unlike at Aston Villa and Leeds United, however, this was a game where the Magpies had to survive a few scares, particularly before the interval.
Nick Pope was called into action after just eight seconds, and responded with a brilliant save as he touched Rodrigo Gomes’ goal-bound effort around the post.
Pope saved again in the first minute, turning Hwang Hee-Chan’s shot wide, and both Dan Burn and Fabian Schar made crucial first-half interventions inside their own 18-yard box as Wolves’ slick passing caused Newcastle problems.
The visitors’ right-wing back, Hugo Bueno, was involved in most of his side’s best moves, causing Tino Livramento problems as he repeatedly looked to break towards the byline.
Livramento has done well playing at left-back for both club and country this season, but defensively, there are the odd moments when he still does not look completely comfortable playing on the ‘wrong’ flank. At what stage will Eddie Howe restore Lewis Hall to the starting side and play restore Livramento to right-back ahead of Kieran Trippier?
**GORDON BACK FOR BARCA**
Harvey Barnes failed to impress when he came off the bench in the goalless draw at Leeds that preceded the international break, and restored to the starting line-up this afternoon, the winger delivered another performance that was somewhat underwhelming.
Runs that came to nothing, passes that failed to find their intended target, shots that cannoned off Wolves defenders – it was that type of afternoon for Newcastle’s left winger.
Barnes was starting because Anthony Gordon was serving the second game of the three-match ban that was imposed as a result of his straight red card in last month’s defeat to Liverpool.
Gordon’s ban does not apply to European competitions, so the England international will be available to face Barcelona in the Champions League on Thursday night. This was Barnes’ chance to persuade Howe to keep him in the side instead of his fellow left winger. He failed to make a compelling case.