Newcastle test perfect for Wolves' big-game players

Newcastle may be sitting pretty at the top with 62 points from 29 games and well on their way to an instant return to the Premier League.

But Wolves, despite their lowly league position, have saved their very best form for the 'big games' so far this season.

In three derby matches – home and away against Villa and away at Blues – they have seven points from nine matches (and anyone who watched the Villa Park draw will agree that Wolves were by far the better team).

In two big FA Cup games away at Premier League sides Stoke City and Liverpool they've produced heroic display to win 2-0 and 2-1 respectively.

And of course away at Newcastle they were, to a man, superb in comfortably winning 2-0 at St James' Park in what was Walter Zenga's finest hour in his short-lived Wolves tenure.

All of which bodes well for tomorrow's highly anticipated clash under the Molineux lights.

Paul Lambert is relishing another high-profile fixture. And he clearly isn't intimidated by any opposition.

"If you ask me do I fear anybody? No," he said.

"And I don't think we should, because we're playing well.

"There are guys I know who can score, we've got a great work ethic and a great hunger to try and succeed.

"I think the crowd will be great, again, as they've always been, and it'll be a great game.

"We're at home and we'll make the running to try and win."

The Magpies have spent an astonishing £57million this season, putting together what many consider to be the most talented squad ever seen at Championship level.

It's certainly the most expensively-assembled, with the likes of Dwight Gayle (£10m), Matt Ritchie (£12m) and Mo Diame (£4.5m) all considered to be of top-flight standard. Lambert said of the Magpies: "I think they're up there on merit and I still think that they'll get out of the league because of the finances they've got and the money they've spent.

"They've bought an awful lot of players on big money, so you expect them to be up there.

"If Newcastle were outside the top six it would be a major surprise, so you expect them to be there."

And the Wolves boss added on his Newcastle counterpart Rafa Benitez: "I've never met Rafa and never had a game against him.

"His managerial career has been very good, at big clubs like Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter and Valencia. He's been there, seen it and done it.

"Being at Newcastle he obviously sees it as a big club that should go back up, or else he wouldn't have gone there in the first place."

Lambert could make a number of changes after last week's disappointing defeat at Burton Albion.

The likes of Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Jack Price and Connor Ronan are all pushing for starts.

And captain Danny Batth will hope to return to the XI after Lambert criticised his team's defending for both Burton goals last Saturday.

Moroccan midfielder Romain Saiss and former Newcastle defender Mike Williamson are back in training but the game is likely to come too soon for the pair.