Miguel Almiron ends Newcastle’s winless run with a win over Wolves

Miguel Almiron came off the bench to reignite Newcastle’s attack for Europe as he clinched a hard-fought Premier League win over Wolves.

The Paraguayan international’s 79th-minute goal gave them a 2-1 win, but only after the visitors had dragged themselves back into a full-blooded encounter when substitute Hwang Hee-chan scored Alexander Isak’s first-half opener on an eventful Afternoon in St James’ Park.

Julen Lopetegui’s men were convinced Magpies goalkeeper Nick Pope should have picked up a second red card in three games after a clumsy first-half struggle with Raul Jimenez, before Almiron’s 11th goal of the season rubbed salt in the wound.

It was just a second win in nine league games for Newcastle, who ended a five-game winless streak in all competitions to move Liverpool into fifth place.

Wolves, who gradually worked their way into the game as Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves made themselves felt, saw concerted appeals for a penalty in the 20th minute and perhaps brushed them off even more after Pope miscontrolled Sven Botman’s back pass and collided with Jimenez. as he tried to recover.

The forward was bundled to the ground in the process, but referee Andy Madley remained unmoved and VAR official Tony Harrington saw no reason to ask him to check again.

Wolves’ disappointment mounted within six minutes when, after a foul by Fabian Schar on Jimenez, Kieran Trippier deflected the resulting free-kick to Isak’s head and flicked it past Jose Sa with a deft flick.

Only a desperate failure from Craig Dawson stopped Joe Willock from doubling the lead two minutes later after Isak’s determined run, and after Jimenez warmed up Pope’s hands with a long-range try, Max Kilman had to be just as strong to thwart Isak again.

Willock, Isak and Saint-Maximin all saw shots blocked in quick succession and Bruno Guimaraes headed against the bar from Dan Burn’s pullback as the Magpies besieged Sa’s goal, although Pope was grateful Daniel Podence’s strike in the 39th minute come back hit by the right post six minutes before the break.

Sa had to save from Willock at his near post after Schar’s attack on Podence sparked a quick counterattack, but Pope did a superb job of scraping Neto’s shot from under the bar after Moutinho deftly rolled a free-kick his way in the 58th minute .

Tripper was thwarted by the Wolves keeper seconds later and Neves shot high over goal as play continued at breakneck speed, and Pope had to step in to save Moutinho’s shot in the 64th minute.

The England full-back’s afternoon took a turn for the worse with 20 minutes remaining when he slipped while attempting to clear in his own box and after Pope left his line to eradicate danger, the ball presented to Hwang sliding into the empty net.

But Almiron bailed the Magpies out of jail with eleven minutes remaining when he exchanged passes with Willock before rolling a shot over Sa and into the net with the help of a touch from Kilman.