Order restored

Newcastle United 1 v Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

There was good news last week as the Communities Secretary, Robert Jenrick, announced that Wolverhampton had been chosen as home to a new regional HQ for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. It is all part of the Government’s long heralded levelling up agenda and will see 500 mandarins relocate to the West Midlands. One can only surmise the unalloyed glee with which the decision was met, as tickets for Swan Lake at The Royal Opera House must now be traded for Jack and the Beanstalk at The Grand Theatre. A bit of real life will do them no harm.

And in matters of football, things have also improved down at the Molineux. A calendar month has passed since Wolves slumped to a dispiriting defeat away at Crystal Palace. Coming as it did at the end of a very poor run, the hitherto unthinkable suddenly became the thinkable as rumblings of discontent about the competence of the manager began to surface. “You are only one game away from the sack” is a phrase oft trotted out by managers mired in the midst of a run devoid of goals and victories. And there was little doubt that four weeks ago Wolves were not only mired in the midst of a poor run of form but appeared devoid of the means to get out of it. Injuries, too many Foreign youngsters and erratic team selection were all contributory factors. To which, it was suggested, China’s pariah state status having tainted the brand leaving Chinese firms holding overseas assets disinclined to pursue further investment. That said, were pints still being pulled in The Goal Post the last item is unlikely to rank high in the topics of conversation, the merits of Nelson Semedo as an adequate replacement for Matt Doherty – now ironically warming the bench at Tottenham Hotspur – possibly higher up the agenda.

It is to be hoped that the Crystal Palace defeat marked the low point of the Covid 19 season, Wolves having gained 11 points from a potential 18 over the ensuing six games. Factors responsible for that turnaround are the return from injury of Castro Otto, an end to experiment with consistent team selection using tried and trusted players in a familiar formation now restored and a change in fortune; the timing of the David Luiz dismissal against Arsenal, the award of the penalty against Southampton and Adama Traore’s “goal” against Leeds being three cases in point. Prior to Crystal Palace, luck had been in scant supply.

Wolves travelled up north on the back of an unbeaten run of four games, but if that worried Newcastle evidence was scant as the Magpies enjoyed the best of an open first half. Indeed, had they taken all their chances they could have put the tie to bed. A post, a good save from Rui Patricio and a disallowed goal all worked in Wolves’ favour.

The tenor of the game continued after the break and in minute 52 Saint-Maximin twisted and turned in the left corner of the box before feeding Ryan Fraser on the right. With the Wolves defence out of position, the latter’s cross was met by Jamaal Lascelles whose downward header crept in under Patricio. Conceding first is a pattern all too familiar for the Old Gold. But so is a fightback as, undeterred, Wolves continued to strive with Pedro Neto again very lively. And it was he who set up fellow countryman Ruben Neves to equalise in minute 73, the latter’s strong header from distance evading Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle goal. Luck then played its part for both sides, Roman Saiss first blocking a certain goal from the boot of Joelinton. Then in time added on Dubravka’s instinctive save denied a close-range header from Fabio Silva. Will the lad ever score in open play?

This was the ninth draw between the two sides in twelve previous outings. Wolves have stopped the rot but they are still some way from the heady days two years ago when they outplayed Manchester United twice in the space of four weeks. Without Jimenez those days remain some way off.

Newcastle United: Dubravka 7, Krafth 6 Sub Ritchie, Lascelles 7, Clark 6, Lewis 6, Willock 6, Shelvey 7, Hayden 6, Joelinton 6, Almiron 7 Sub Fraser 7, Saint-Maximin 7 Sub Murphy

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Patricio 7, Dendoncker 6, Coady 6, Saiss 7, Semedo 6 Sub Hoever, Castro Otto 6 Sub Ait-Nourri, Moutinho 7, Neves 7, Neto 8, Traore 7, Da Silva 6 Sub Silva (Fabio)

Attendance: Nil (Covid 19)

Referee: Mike Dean 9

©Mark Brennand