Eddie Howe delivers key messages ahead of Newcastle United playing Wolves away

Eddie Howe has been speaking ahead of Newcastle United’s Premier League trip to face Wolves at Molineux.

The Magpies are aiming to make it four league wins in a row after a strong run of form that has lifted them into the top six of a tightly packed Premier League table.

Victory on Saturday would also see Newcastle record back-to-back away wins in the league for the first time this season, while also providing an immediate response to their midweek Carabao Cup semi-final defeat against Manchester City.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Howe warned against underestimating the challenge posed by Wolves.

“Wolves are in a better place,” he said. “Statistically, they’ve been a bit of an outlier and I think they’ve been unlucky not to have more points.

“From our point of view, we can’t underestimate anyone. We have to be in the right mental place because this is a really important game, and we can’t take anybody lightly.”

Reflecting on the loss to Manchester City, Howe admitted fatigue may have played a part in Newcastle’s performance.

“I think there was some fatigue, whether physical or mental, after the 120 minutes against Bournemouth,” he explained. “Not everyone played those minutes, but watching the game back, I don’t think we were at our physical best.

“Now the focus is on freshening the players up and getting back to our best for Wolves. This is a huge game in our Premier League season. We’ve built momentum and we want to keep that going for as long as possible.”

Howe also highlighted the importance of Joelinton, praising the midfielder’s aggressive edge and influence since returning from injury.

“He’s such a key player for us,” Howe said. “When Joey is snarling, aggressive and confronting, that’s when he’s in the best mental place. There’s a fine line because we don’t want him sent off, but that edge is a big part of his game.

“He’s been patient coming back from injury and you can see his qualities again. When he’s in the team, we look stronger.”

Providing an update on Fabian Schär, Howe confirmed the defender has undergone surgery.

“Fabian had successful surgery yesterday, which is great news,” he said. “Everything went to plan. It’s hard to be definitive, but we’re looking at around three months out. If it’s quicker, fantastic, but the priority is giving him the time he needs to recover.”

Howe also shared positive updates on Dan Burn and Will Osula as they work towards matchday availability.

“They’re both getting closer,” he added. “Will should be back in training very soon and then we’ll decide when he’s ready to be involved in a squad.

“Dan is improving and he’s running again, which is really positive. His fitness will be fine – it’s just about managing the pain from his injury.”

Finally, Howe addressed Jacob Murphy’s ongoing issue, revealing further scans have shown no clear problem.

“Jacob’s had another scan and again nothing has shown up, which is a bit strange,” Howe explained. “At this point, you have to go on how the player feels.

“That probably means he’ll need some time out of the squad. I’m not sure how long, but the good thing is that it doesn’t appear to be a serious issue and hopefully it’s something we can resolve quickly.”