Date/Time: Monday 11th February 2019 (Kick-off 9:00 PM CET).
Two years to the day Wolves hosted Newcastle United in the Championship and an Aleksander Mitrovic goal helped The Magpies win 0-1 on their way to the title and a return to the Premier League.
They earned 94 points that season as they bounced back from relegation at the first attempt and in the same campaign Wolves finished 15th with just 58 points and a 16-10-20 record.
Things changed for Wolves that summer and the investment made into the club has seen them attract some real quality that has seen them promoted to the Premier League under Nuno Espirito Santo. This season Wolves are showing they can be considered best of the rest outside of the top six in the Premier League while they are also enjoying a FA Cup run that has seen them move through to the Fifth Round.
Newcastle United have not made the same investment in that time and they have been a team that has struggled in the bottom half of the Premier League since returning to the top flight. Even breaking their record transfer fee in the January transfer window won't have impressed that many people and Newcastle United have been overtaken by the likes of Wolves who are looking much further up the League table.
One factor that makes Newcastle United dangerous is the manager Rafa Benitez who knows how to organise his teams to frustrate opponents. They have needed to ride their luck at times in recent games, but that is down to the level of quality of players that Newcastle United have rather than the tactics and it isn't hard to work out what they will look to do here.
Limiting space and trying to catch Wolves on the counter attack will be the game plan and to be fair it is something that the likes of Huddersfield Town and Crystal Palace have used to beat the home team at Molineux. Watford have also won here so Wolves do look plenty short to beat Newcastle United on Monday Night Football, although I have to say I have been impressed with the attacking qualities they have shown in recent games.
Goals have been flowing for Wolves and I think that confidence will make the difference in what could be a tight game. Newcastle United have not been as strong away from St James' Park in recent games in the Premier League and I think Wolves will work their way to breaking down their visitors and winning this game.
It still doesn't mean they are a great price outright, but backing Wolves to continue the scoring output may just be the boost this pick needs. They have scored at least two goals in 4 straight games at home in all competitions and Wolves have won all of those. In fact Wolves have won 5 and lost 5 of their last 10 home Premier League games and in each win they have needed to score at least two goals to secure it and I expect that to be the case this Monday too.
Newcastle United might not be an offensive powerhouse, but they have scored in 5 of their last 7 away games in the League so Wolves may need two goals if they are going to win this and that is what I will look for them to do.
Prediction: Wolves win & Over 1.5 Goals
T&Cs apply.
