Here we go again !
Live @ http://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/399931
One match ban enabled
Newcastle are hopeful Kenedy and Paul Dummett will be fit to play but Isaac Hayden, Florian Lejeune and Karl Darlow are certain absentees.
Fabian Schar is banned after accruing five bookings but Matt Ritchie is available after suspension.
Wolves are boosted by the return of Ruben Neves following a one-game ban.
Leander Dendoncker made his league debut in their midweek win over Chelsea and could be set for an increased role, but Jonny Otto is still out.
Wolves v Liverpool: FA Cup third-round tie to be shown live on BBC Sport
MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES
@ConorMcNamaraIE: Wolves are rightly admired for their attacking verve, yet they have only scored three league goals more than Newcastle.
Although there is a huge gulf in the praise doled out to these teams, there are only two places between them in the table.
Newcastle's set-piece defending again failed them in midweek as Everton's equaliser came from a corner. They have now conceded a league-high 10 set-piece goals and need to rectify that and quick.
Wolves enjoyed one of their best results of the campaign against Chelsea on Wednesday, and Diogo Jota's first Premier League goal could be the start of a return to form for last season's top scorer.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez: "Wolves are a very good team - they have had the same manager for a while and have been playing the same way."
LAWRO'S PREDICTION
He been deleted as usual, because no body cares what he thinks
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Newcastle have never lost in six previous Premier League matches against Wolves, winning two and drawing four.
Both sides have scored in all six of those Premier League encounters - it is the competition's most-played fixture yet to produce a clean sheet.
Wolves are winless in 15 top-flight matches away to Newcastle, losing 10 of them, since a 4-3 victory in February 1959.
However, Wolves won 2-0 on their last league visit to St. James' Park, in the Championship in September 2016.
Newcastle United
Newcastle have lost six of their opening eight home league games, which is a joint-club record for this stage of the season.
Nine of the Magpies' 12 league goals have been scored in the first half.
Their only victory in the past 12 Premier League matches in the month of December came at West Ham last year.
Newcastle are one of three teams, along with Brighton and Burnley, not to have scored a league goal from outside the penalty area this season.
Rafael Benitez has not lost any of his 22 home Premier League matches against a promoted club, winning 16 of them.
Newcastle and Wolves are the only teams not to have had an English goalscorer this season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves earned their first league win in seven attempts at the expense of Chelsea in midweek.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side have scored three first-half goals, the fewest in the division.
Wolves are yet to score more than once in an away league fixture this season.
Raul Jimenez has been directly involved in eight of his team's 15 league goals, scoring four and providing four assists.
💥Newcastle v Wolves💥[LIVE]
posted on 10/12/18
comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 19 minutes ago
Most of the games Traore has played for us he has been central and forward. Cant see there's a place for him playing deeper. There have been games when its worked. At Arsenal he was almost a lone striker late in the game and he terrified them. And yesterday although he didn't play well, he certainly unsettled the defence and Lascelles was lucky not to be sent off from committing three bookable offences. We need to work on his technical skills, but when we are reliant on breakaways he can be an asset
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^^^ what he said ...
posted on 10/12/18
So 18 million quid for a player we may need when we are reliant on breakaways?
posted on 10/12/18
Actually, reflecting on what Waddle said, I believe he was referring to Traore being more naturally a winger and playing in a position where he could run at a defence from that kind of a position.
posted on 10/12/18
He certainly got the better of Mendy v City
posted on 10/12/18
Perhaps we should just get to ‘flex’ in the Center circle and put them on the back foot. Any premier defender will retreat at least 5 yard from Traore
I’d pay £18 Mil just so he can’t play against us
posted on 10/12/18
Dude is scary I will give you that and he will have his days for sure.
posted on 10/12/18
comment by ☠Tube of Lies ☕ (U16473)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
Actually, reflecting on what Waddle said, I believe he was referring to Traore being more naturally a winger and playing in a position where he could run at a defence from that kind of a position.
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I get the point of him being best when he can run at people, and I think he is good when there is some space on the field as there was at the Emirates when Arsenal were pushing forward. In a way it doesn't matter to him whether he is right left or centre because he just gets the ball and goes. The biggest problem is getting the ball to him because his movement off the ball is poor, but once he has the ball in front of him, no defender would look forward to coming up against him. His pace from a standing start is quite amazing
posted on 10/12/18
I do not want to put the bloke down, he just doesn't see what is going on around him. Give him the ball with a clear run, then he would frighten any defender, but then what will he do with it ?
posted on 10/12/18
More often than not he will have cocked it up this season boston. But he has created a few chances along the way. Remember him recently knocking in a great cross for that Jiminez effort that was 7/8ths of the way over the line.
No doubt at all that he needs to do much better than he has so far to get many starts, but I do think he can be a useful impact sub
posted on 10/12/18
When we paid £18m for Traore we were roundly ridiculed from all and sundry. "Headless chicken with no end product" being a typical comment. At the moment he is giving those comments some weight but I see incremental improvement each time he plays.
I agree at the moment he is best used as an impact sub and not a starter but there is certainly huge potential in him. If Nuno and his coaches can work the sort of magic that they have with Doherty we just might end up with one of the most unplayable players in the league.
Spacial awareness and movement off the ball are the areas which need the most work but there is a point also to remember in his favour. His running is explosive and like all sprinters it comes in short bursts after which he needs a short recovery time.
Ask Usain Bolt to run 800m and he'd be fecked after 300 and dying after 500.