Eddie Howe challenges the Newcastle United players after making it 9 in a row against Wolves | OneFootball

Eddie Howe watched on at St James’ Park as his Newcastle United team won 3-0 against Wolves.

That made it nine wins in a row.

Wolves the latest to go on the end of that ever growing list.

Eddie Howe was delighted with the victory and the way his team approached the game, however, the NUFC boss challenging the Newcastle United players to move on to an even higher level…

Eddie Howe on how his Newcastle United team defeated Wolves to make it 9 wins in a row:

“We had to be patient.

“We had to play a different way slightly.

“We had a lot of the ball in the first half and we knew Wolves would be stubborn opponents.

“We got a lucky break with the first goal but overall I think we deserved it.

“Depending on how the game pans out, you need different ways to win.

“The first goal was so important but we had a few scares.

“Wolves are difficult to play against.

“Overall, can’t be too picky, it is nine wins in a row but we know we can play better, we did enough of the detailed work to get the win.

“There’s a lot to be positive about AND a lot to improve.

“There has to be more to come.

“That is the challenge we have to pose to the players now.

“Tonight wasn’t perfect, the last 20 minutes weren’t great.

“We need to keep growing, keep evolving, keep improving, because the challenges only get harder and stronger.

“That would be my message to the players.

“We will endeavour to do the work to find the extra gears we need.

“I have been consistent with my team selection, which I think has helped us, but you never want it to be definitive.

“You don’t want it to be definitive because form always changes.

“You hope players in the squad step up and give you a real problem.

“So yes, I vaguely have an opinion on what my best team is, but I don’t want it to be set.

“I want players challenging all the time.”

Eddie Howe on Sandro Tonali:

“I thought Sandro was magnificent tonight.

“We always ask our midfielders to do different jobs, depending on our opposition.

“Today he had a deeper role off the ball and I thought he did it absolutely brilliantly,

“He followed it to the letter.

“He was putting out a lot of transition issues for us, so I thought his individual performance was strong, but I thought midfield was the key area because we had a lot of the ball and they all used the ball really well.”

Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak:

“The first goal was key today.

“I think he will probably say he meant it, the way things are going for him at the moment, but he has picked the ball up wide left and he has got that freedom because he is a really good dribbler.

“We encourage him to get on the ball as much as he can.

“When you have got the technical skills that he has, I think it is huge for us, that we do not ask him to be too central and static.

“We need him on the ball, we want him on the ball, as much as possible in the attacking third, so he does have freedom to get the ball.

“He makes his second goal look an easy finish, but it is absolutely not, because you might get one of those in a game and we need him to take it.

“However, he has got that calmness and that coolness that all the top players have.

“It is one of his biggest strengths, his composure and level of finishing is at the highest level.

“He has the extra second of composure that players at the top level have.”

Newcastle 3 Wolves 0 – Wednesday 15 January 2025 7.30pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Isak 34, 57, Gordon 74

Wolves:

Possession was Newcastle 60% Wolves 40%

Total shots were Newcastle 17 Wolves 13

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Wolves 7

Corners were Newcastle 4 Wolves 2

Touches in the box Newcastle 32 Wolves 23

Newcastle team v Wolves:

Dubravka, Livramento (Trippier 85), Botman, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Joelinton (Miley 83), Bruno, Murphy (Almiron 78), Isak (Osula 78), Gordon (Willock 78)

Unused subs:

Vlachodimos, Kelly, Krafth, Longstaff

Newcastle United upcoming matches:

Saturday 18 January – Newcastle v Bournemouth (12.30pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 25 January – Southampton v Newcastle (3pm)

Saturday 1 February – Newcastle v Fulham (3pm)

Wednesday 5 February – Newcastle v Arsenal (8pm) Sky Sports (League Cup)

Weekend of Saturday 8 February – Birmingham v Newcastle TBC (FA Cup)