Newcastle United will be looking to bounce back from three straight Premier League defeats when they welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to St James' Park on Friday night.
The Magpies are currently 15th in the table, nine points clear of the relegation zone, while Wolves occupy eighth, two points behind sixth-placed West Ham United.
Match preview
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Newcastle won six of their seven Premier League matches between January 22 and March 10, which moved them clear of the relegation zone and fuelled suggestions that they could push for a top-half finish in the closing stages of the campaign.
However, the Magpies have been brought back down to earth in recent weeks, losing each of their last three in the league against Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
Eddie Howe's side conceded five in their defeat to Spurs last weekend, and they have dropped into 15th spot in the table, nine points clear of the relegation zone, which should be enough to keep them clear of the bottom three in the coming weeks despite their recent wobble.
Newcastle actually now have three straight home Premier League matches against Wolves, Leicester City and Crystal Palace before a trip to Norwich City on April 23, while they will end the month with a home fixture against title-challenging Liverpool.
The Magpies have only actually lost four of their 14 home league matches this term, but they will be taking on a Wolves side that boasts the fourth-best away record in England's top flight this season, picking up an impressive 26 points from 15 games, which is more than the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal and West Ham.
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Wolves are still just about in the argument for a top-four finish this season, currently sitting eighth in the table, just five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, having played a match more than the North London club.
However, Bruno Lage's side will, more realistically, be eyeing a top-six position, currently sitting just two points behind sixth-placed West Ham on the same number of matches (31) as the Hammers.
Wolves have won three of their last four Premier League matches, including a 2-1 home success over Aston Villa last time out, while they have also beaten Watford and Everton over the last month.
Somewhat disappointingly, the club finished 13th in England's top flight last term, but they are very much in the mix for a European spot this term, and as mentioned, much of their success in 2021-22 has been built on a strong away record, which is only bettered by Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Wolves recorded a 2-1 win over Newcastle in the reverse match at Molineux back in October, while they are actually unbeaten against the Magpies since a Championship clash in February 2017.
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Team News
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Newcastle will again be missing Callum Wilson, Isaac Hayden, Kieran Trippier and Jamal Lewis through injury, while Miguel Almiron (COVID-19) and Federico Fernandez (abdominal) will need to be assessed.
The Magpies could also be without the services of Joe Willock due to a knee injury, meaning that Bruno Guimaraes could make his first home start for the club on Friday night.
Joelinton was forced off against Tottenham through illness but is expected to be available here, while Emil Krafth and Jacob Murphy are pushing to return to the starting side following the heavy defeat in North London.
As for Wolves, Raul Jimenez remains unavailable for selection due to a suspension, so Fabio Silva should again be given the opportunity to lead the line.
Ruben Neves is also still out with a knee problem, while a hamstring injury will keep Ki-Jana Hoever on the sidelines for Friday's contest at St James' Park.
The team could ultimately be unchanged from the one that started against Villa last time out, with Daniel Podence and Francisco Trincao supporting Fabio Silva in the final third of the field.
Meanwhile, Neves's absence in midfield should see Leander Dendoncker continue alongside Joao Moutinho.
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Krafth, Schar, Burn, Targett; Guimaraes, Shelvey, Joelinton; Murphy, Wood, Saint-Maximin
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Boly, Coady, Kilman; Jonny, Dendoncker, Moutinho, Marcal; Podence, F Silva, Trincao
We say: Newcastle United 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Incredibly, five of the last six Premier League matches between these two sides have finished 1-1, and we have had to back the same scoreline on Friday night. Newcastle will be desperate to end their losing run, and the Magpies should be good enough for a point in front of their own supporters.
Top tip
Matt Law
Data Analysis
Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Newcastle United win with a probability of 37.13%. A win for Wolverhampton Wanderers had a probability of 34.74% and a draw had a probability of 28.1%.
The most likely scoreline for a Newcastle United win was 1-0 with a probability of 11.56%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 2-1 (7.85%) and 2-0 (6.88%). The likeliest Wolverhampton Wanderers win was 0-1 (11.08%), while for a drawn scoreline it was 1-1 (13.19%). The actual scoreline of 1-0 was predicted with an 11.6% likelihood. Our data analysis correctly predicted a 1-0 win for Newcastle United in this match.
