Newcastle United 1 Wolves 1 - Report and pictures

Once again Wolves had to launch a second-half fight-back after Jamaal Lascelles opened the scoring in the 36th minute.

But Jonny's effort helped Wolves to a deserved point in the North East, though it could have been three as Newcastle ended the game without Sean Longstaff.

The midfielder was sent off in the 83rd minute for a reckless, high, two-footed challenge that left Ruben Neves writhing on the ground in pain.

That decision gave Wolves the momentum at the end of the game but despite Raul Jimenez, Pedro Neto and Matt Doherty's best efforts they could not find a winner.

REPORT

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo made five changes to the side that beat Slovan Bratislava 2-1 in the Europa League on Thursday night. Leander Dendoncker, Adama Traore, Jonny Otto, Diogo Jota and Ruben Neves all returned to the starting XI.

Young defender Max Kilman, Ruben Vinagre and Patrick Cutrone all moved to the bench as midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White missed out on a place in the squad.

But the big question before kick-off was how would Wolves line-up without centre-half Willy Boly?

The defender missed the clash after sustaining a broken ankle in training on Saturday.

And with the talismanic centre-half unavailable, boss Nuno opted to move full-back Matt Doherty to the vacant spot on the right of the back three.

That move also saw Romain Saiss drop back from midfield to start on skipper Conor Coady's left in a 3-5-2 formation.

Traore and Jonny started as wing-backs with Dendoncker joining Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves in a midfield three.

.Wolves started brightly with the rejuvenated Jota and Jimenez lighting up the pitch.

Their quick feet eventually lead to a chance for Moutinho but his bobbling strike was easy for Dubravka to claim but that was to be Wolves' highlight of the first half.

As Wolves attacked, pockets of space were left for Newcastle to break, but Doherty was on hand to nod away a dangerous DeAndre Yedlin cross from the right.

Wolves' new-look back three restricted Newcastle as both teams cancelled each other out in the opening stages.

The hosts looked a threat on the counter attack but despite forging out numerous opportunities to put Wolves under pressure, Steve Bruce's men kept opting for the wrong ball until they hit the half hour mark.

Newcastle's questions became more probing as the half wore on.

Bruce had called for simplicity from Sean Longstaff and company and they responded by upping the ante.

But Wolves would be the architects of their own downfall as they allowed the hosts to pile on the pressure.

They'd failed to learn their lessons about Newcastle's pace with Sean Longstaff's hopeful hook over the top releasing Miguel Amiron.

He left Saiss for dead on the right flank, but as Patricio steamed out to greet him, he could only smash the ball into the side netting.

The hosts sensed blood and Wolves wasted several opportunities to clear before Bruce's men opened the scoring.

Jimenez and Jota had chances to clear after a succession of corners on the left but Newcastle kept hold of the ball.

Federico Fernandez, who had earlier left Jota needing treatment on the pitch after catching the on-running forward with his arm, whipped in an inviting cross from the right.

His fellow defender Jamaal Lascelles sprinted into the gap in-between Saiss and Coady to nod home at the near post in the 36th minute.

The hosts were in control but Jota managed to warm up the palms of Dubravka with a spinning strike just before the break.

Nuno did not make a personnel change at the break but he did switch things up on the pitch.

Wolves shifted formation from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3 with Dendoncker replacing Doherty in the back three. Doherty moved to the wide right role with Traore pushing up to join Jota and Jimenez in a front three.

Wolves survived an early VAR check after referee Kevin Friend asked for an assessment of Saiss' sliding tackle on Saint-Maximin.

But the video officials ruled the Wolves defender had won the ball cleanly and awarded a corner.

Newcastle remained a threat on the counter with Saint-Maximin a constant thorn in Wolves' side with his electric pace.

But Wolves' own pace-man Traore was able to have more of a say on the game in the second half due to his advanced position.

He whipped in a delightful ball from the right that Jota could only balloon over the bar.

Wolves should have levelled minutes later when Doherty latched on to Jimenez's chip.

The forward hooked the ball into the path of the Wolves wing-back but he found himself off balance as he tried to connect first-time. Eventually fizzing the ball straight to Dubravka when he had finally found his feet.

Wolves kept piling on the pressure as the half progressed with Traore the main threat on that right wing.

But Jota again had Wolves' best chances as he created something out of nothing and sprinted into the box.

His effort was batted away by Dubravka, but Jonny was ruled to have impeded a Newcastle man as he tried to mop up the rebound.

Nuno brought Jota off in the 70th minute to send on the fresh legs of Pedro Neto.

And Wolves got the goal their second-half performance deserved just two minutes later.

Traore released Doherty on the overlap on that right-wing with a perfectly weighted pass.

Doherty curled the ball into the mix, Dubravka flapped at the ball and punched it straight into the path of Jonny.

He's not famed for his goals, having previously only scored once before for Wolves in the 2-0 win over Southampton last September, but he finished the chance with all the aplomb of a seasoned striker.

Both sides looked eager to find a winner in an open end to the game.

But Newcastle would find themselves down to 10-men when Sean Longstaff was shown a straight red card.

The midfielder went to ground two-footed with his high challenge colliding with Neves' knee.

The Wolves man was left crumpled in a heap with referee Friend immediately reaching for the red card in the 83rd minute.

Wolves continued to press for a winner with Doherty glancing a last-gasp Jimenez cross just wide of the left stick in added time.

But despite the man advantage, and dominance of possession in the closing stages, Nuno's side had to settle for a draw.

Key Moments

37 - Goal. Newcastle take the lead. Jota carelessly gives the ball away in a dangerous area. Wolves deal with the first cross, but Lascelles gets on the end of the second ahead of Coady to give the home side the advantage.

73 - GOOOOOALLLL!! Wolves are level thanks to a sharp finish from Otto! Traore finds Doherty with a lovely reverse pass. The Irishman's cross is flapped at by Dubravka, and the Spaniard volleys right into the bottom corner. Fantastic.

82 - RED CARD! Sean Longstaff is given his marching orders for a reckless lunge on Neves. Two-footed, very high - it is a red card every day of the week. Neves, thankfully, is not forced off by the dangerous tackle.

90+3 - So close to a late winner for Wolves! Jimenez just about keeps the ball in on the byline, crossing to Doherty. He cannot repeat what he did here last year, though - scoring right at the death to win it - as he heads inches wide.

Teams

Newcastle (3-4-3): Dubravka; Fernandez, Lascelles (c), Clark; Yedlin, M Longstaff (Atsu, 90), S Longstaff, Willems; Almiron, Joelinton (Shelvey, 84), Saint-Maximin (Gayle, 90)

Subs: Darlow (gk), Krafth, Dummett, Muto

Goal: Lascelles (37)

Red card: S Longstaff (82)

Wolves (3-5-2): Patricio; Doherty, Coady (c), Saiss; Traore, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Otto (Vinagre, 84); Jimenez, Jota (Neto, 69)

Subs: Ruddy (gk), Vallejo, Kilman, Cutrone, Ashley-Seal

Goal: Otto (73)

Attendance: 46, 019

Referee: Kevin Friend (Bristol)