Hello and welcome to our live text commentary of Newcastle's Premier League clash with Wolves from St James' Park. To quote D:Ream, things have certainly got a great deal better in the north east after such a dismal start to the campaign. One defeat in six has helped the Magpies climb up to a lift 14th. Wolves were on a poor run of form themselves and after conceding first against Chelsea in midweek, they looked to be heading for a sixth defeat in seven league games. However, they turned the match on its head, providing them with a huge boost ahead of their trip to the north east. I'm Pete Hall, and I will be bringing you the action, as it happens, live!
Premier League / Matchday 16
St James' Park / 09.12.2018
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- A. Pérez(23')
- Diogo Jota(17')
- M. Doherty(90+4')
Live
Live Updates
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Updated 09/12/2018 at 17:55 GMT
15:56
Quite the contrast!
15:54
HOME DISCOMFORTS: Newcastle have lost six of their eight Premier League home games this season - only once have they lost as many at this stage of a top-flight season before (six in 1953-54).
15:44
Quite the record....
15:36
HEAD TO HEAD: Newcastle have never lost against Wolves in the Premier League (W2 D4 L0), though this is their first meeting since February 2012. Wolves won on their last league visit to St. James' Park against Newcastle, a 2-0 win in the Championship in September 2016. They haven't won consecutive away league games there since October 1954. All six meetings between Newcastle and Wolves in the Premier League have seen both teams score - it's the most played fixture in the competition not to see a clean sheet.
15:26
There was a danger of the game not going ahead at all, but Benitez has thanked fans for calling off a planned boycott of Sunday's match. Supporters had been calling for another protest against owner Mike Ashley at the game at St James' Park. "I have to say thank you to the fans because my message has been very clear all this time," Benitez said. "This group of players deserve support because they work so hard until the last minute of every game so I think it's fair to them."
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Image credit: PA Sport
15:18
NUNO RINGS THE CHANGES: Gone are the days when Nuno Espirito Santo would name the same starting Xi every week. A colossal three changes are made to the side that beat Chelsea last time out. Ruben Neves, Adama Traore and Helder Costa come in for Raul Jimenez, Joao Moutinho and Morgan Gibbs-White. Newcastle stick with their 5-3-2 formation. Jacob Murphy, Javier Manquillo and Fabian Schar make way for Ayoze Perez, Matt Ritchie and Ciaran Clark.
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Image credit: PA Sport
15:16
TEAM NEWS - NEWCASTLE: Dubravka, Clark, Lascelles, Fernandez, Yedlin, Ki, Diame, Ritchie, Atsu, Perez, Rondon.... Subs: Woodman, Dummett, Muto, Kenedy, Maquillo, Joselu, Longstaff. /// WOLVES: Patricio, Doherty, Bennett, Saiss, Coady, Boly, Vinagre, Neves, Jota, Costa, Traore. Subs: Ruddy, Cavaleiro, Jimenez, Gibbs-White, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Bonatini.
15:12
The teams are in...