Newcastle vs Wolves: Premier League preview, team news, TV channel, stats, prediction, kick-off time

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Newcastle vs Wolves in the Premier League on Friday Night Football; kick-off 8pm.

Team news

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will make a late decision on midfielder Joe Willock ahead of Friday night's Premier League clash with Wolves.

Willock has been nursing a knee problem for several weeks and the Magpies head coach will check on him before naming his team.

Striker Miguel Almiron is fit after recovering from illness, although Howe revealed other unnamed players have been affected by a virus, but defenders Kieran Trippier (fractured metatarsal) and Federico Fernandez (side strain) and striker Callum Wilson (Achilles/calf) are still out.

Wolves are again without suspended striker Raul Jimenez.

Ruben Neves remains out with a knee injury, but Nelson Semedo has stepped up his fitness following a hamstring problem and could start.

Ki-Jana Hoever has returned to training after a hamstring injury but the trip to Tyneside will be too soon for the Dutch defender.

• Play Fantasy Football | Get Sky Sports | Get a NOW pass for £9.98
• Premier League fixtures | Table | Results

How to follow

Live FNF

Newcastle vs Wolves is live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7.30pm; kick-off 8pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

Last time out...

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Jones Knows' prediction

• Stream this game with a NOW pass | Get Sky Sports
• Watch free clips during game and highlights after FT

Eddie Howe has only lost one of his 10 Premier League home matches with that solitary defeat coming at the hands of Manchester City. The positive atmosphere at St James' Park and around the club in general is certainly creating a tough environment for visiting teams. Three straight defeats have stalled their progress towards safety but all of those setbacks came on the road. A return to home comforts on Friday night under the lights should see them snap that losing run.

Joe Willock is a player who has landed us a couple of touches this season and his goalscorer prices with Sky Bet remain juicy enough to attack again.

Eddie Howe has found the perfect role for Willock in this system where he can utilise his clever runs into dangerous areas. It's taking him into great positions which has rocketed his shots per game and expected goals average. Since mid-January, he leads the way for Newcastle for shots (21), expected goals (2.47) and goals (2 - joint with Ryan Fraser and Fabian Schar). With Chris Wood woefully out of form, scoring one goal in his last 17 starts for Burnley and Newcastle, Willock is Newcastle's most likely route to goal. That makes his price of 6/1 with Sky Bet to score anytime rather silly.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1 | BETTING ANGLE: Joe Willock to score (6/1 with Sky Bet - Bet Here!)

Opta stats

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Newcastle are winless in five home league games against Wolves (D3 L2) since a 4-1 victory in the Premier League in April 2011.
• Wolves are looking to complete their first league double over Newcastle since the 1991-92 second tier campaign, while they last beat the Magpies home and away in a top-flight campaign in 1953-54.
• Both teams have scored in all 13 Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Wolves, making it the most played fixture in the competition's history to see neither side keep a clean sheet.
• Nine of the 13 Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Wolves have been drawn (69%), the highest percentage of games to finish level of all fixtures to have been played more than 10 times in the competition.
• Since their return to the division in 2018, no side has won more Premier League games on a Friday than Wolves (4, level with Liverpool, Southampton and West Ham). However, this will be Wolves' ninth such game in that time, more than any other side.
• Newcastle United have won their last three home Premier League matches, last winning more consecutively at St James' Park between January and March 2019 (five in a row). Current boss Eddie Howe has never won four consecutive home Premier League matches as a manager.
• Wolves have won eight away Premier League games in 2021-22, their most ever in a single Premier League season and their most in a top-flight season since 1979-80 (10 wins), when they finished sixth.
• After a nine-match Premier League unbeaten run between December 2021 and March 2022, Newcastle have lost each of their last three in the competition. They haven't lost four in a row since a run of five in January 2021.
• In 2022, Newcastle United have scored four direct free-kick goals from just seven attempts (one from Shelvey, two from Trippier, one from Schär), as many as they managed in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 combined. The Magpies last scored more Premier League goals via direct free-kicks in a season in 2002-03 (five).
• Jonny has scored a goal in each of his last two Premier League appearances for Wolves, only one fewer than he netted in his first 79 matches for the club (3), although one of those goals came away at Newcastle in October 2019. He is looking to become only the fifth Wolves player to score in three Premier League appearances in a row, and first since Raúl Jiménez in November 2019.

Win £250,000 on Tuesday!

Another Saturday, another chance to win £250,000 with Super 6. Play for free, entries by 3pm