Two Premier League teams who advanced from the FA Cup fifth round in midweek face off at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon as Newcastle United play host to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Neither side could be separated the last time that they met at Molineux just over four months ago when they played out an entertaining 2-2 draw.
Match preview
Three days after suffering a heavy 4-1 away defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League, Newcastle required penalties to edge past Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup following a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes at Ewood Park on Wednesday.
Anthony Gordon's 71st-minute opener was cancelled out just eight minutes later by Sammie Szmodics, but he was one of two Blackburn players along with captain Dominic Hyam who has his spot kick saved in the shootout by Magpies hero Martin Dubravka, with the visitors prevailing 4-3 to set up a tricky quarter-final tie with holders Manchester City in two weeks' time.
Eddie Howe has expressed the "relief" that he felt after the closely-fought contest, and while he also stressed the importance of his Newcastle side progressing as far as possible in the FA Cup, a strong finish to their Premier League campaign is also high on the club's agenda.
Newcastle, who have won just two of their last nine top-flight matches, have slipped to 10th in the table, one point and one place behind Saturday's opponents Wolves, while they are also just two points behind Brighton & Hove Albion in seventh spot.
Howe and co will be keen to amend their home form having failed to win any of their last four games at St James' Park, and they will fancy their chances of success this weekend as they have lost just one of their last eight Premier League home meetings with Wolves, winning their last two in the process.
Wolves concluded the month of February on a high as they followed up back-to-back Premier League wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United with a slender 1-0 victory at home to Brighton in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday.
Mario Lemina's sliding close-range strike after just 79 seconds proved to be the match-winner for the hosts, who have been rewarded with a favourable-looking quarter-final tie against West Midlands rivals Coventry City at Molineux in two weeks' time.
Gary O'Neil's men, who have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals for just the third time this century, turn their attention back to the Premier League as they attempt to boost their hopes of securing European football for next season; victory on Saturday could see the Old Gold climb to as high as seventh place and potentially edge closer to Manchester United in sixth spot.
Only Man City (26), Liverpool (23), Arsenal (22) and Spurs (20) have picked up more Premier League points that Wolves (19) across the last 10 matches, with O'Neil's side heading to St James' Park having collected 10 points out of a possible 12 available in their last four away games – beating Chelsea and Spurs in the process.
Wolves have struggled to grind out positive results against Newcastle in recent years, though, as they have only won two of their last 12 encounters across all competitions, including their last win at St James' Park (2-1) in December 2018.
Team News
Newcastle quintet Sandro Tonali (suspended), Callum Wilson (pectoral), Nick Pope (shoulder), Joelinton and Matt Targett (both thigh) all remain unavailable for selection, although the latter is closing in on a return having taken part in training this week.
Howe has confirmed that Sven Botman was rested in midweek as he is "still working back to his best levels" after a spell on the sidelines with a knee injury earlier this season; the Dutchman is in contention to return on Saturday, though, at the expense of Jamaal Lascelles.
It remains to be seen whether Joe Willock, who recently recovered from an Achilles injury, will be ready to start two games in the space of four days so both Elliot Anderson and Lewis Miley are waiting in the wings if needed, while Miguel Almiron will battle with Jacob Murphy for a start in attack alongside Gordon and Alexander Isak.
As for Wolves, Matheus Cunha remains a long-term absentee with a hamstring injury, while O'Neil has confirmed that Hwang Hee-chan is also nursing a hamstring problem sustained in midweek and will miss Saturday's trip to St James' Park.
Both Lemina and Joao Gomes suffered with minor fitness issues towards the end of the game against Brighton, but the midfield duo have been passed fit to play against Newcastle and could therefore retain their places in the first XI.
O'Neil is expected to recall Nelson Semedo, Craig Dawson, Pablo Sarabia and Pedro Neto who all began as substitutes last time out; the latter two could be tasked to operate in a central role in the absence of Hwang.
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Miley; Almiron, Isak, Gordon
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Kilman, Dawson, Toti; Semedo, Lemina, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Bellegarde, Sarabia, Neto
We say: Newcastle United 2-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Considering that 16 of the last 17 Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Wolves have seen both teams score, an end-to-end encounter with plenty of goalmouth action could be on the cards this weekend.
A lack of a natural centre-forward at O'Neil's disposal is not ideal for Wolves, but they should still pose an attacking threat to Newcastle's leaky backline and may do just enough to claim a hard-fought point in an compelling contest at St James' Park.
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