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HWANG HEE-CHAN ON THE DOUBLE AS WOLVES SEES OFF NEWCASTLE

Hwang Hee-chan’s brace inspired Wolves and sunk winless Newcastle to pile the pressure on Magpies boss Steve Bruce.

The striker scored Wolves’ first home goals in the Premier League this season as Bruno Lage’s improving side bagged a 2-1 win.

Jeff Hendrick’s first-half leveller briefly threatened to upset the hosts’ momentum but they have now won three of their last four top flight games which threaten to ignite their season.

It was not a classic performance but it was good enough to beat the Magpies, who are still searching for their first win of the season and slipped to second bottom.

Bruce would have left frustrated after a tight game yet there was little suggestion Newcastle will avoid a relegation battle this term.

They began brightly enough with Allan Saint-Maximin the focal point but fell behind to the game’s first chance after 20 minutes.

It was more evidence Raul Jimenez’s powers are returning after his fractured skull when, fresh from his first goal in 336 days to beat Southampton last week, he turned provider at Molineux.

The striker brilliantly held off Sean Longstaff and slipped in Hwang to draw Karl Darlow and slide a low shot under the goalkeeper.

The confidence drained from the Magpies while Wolves, looking for successive wins for just the third time this year, grew and Joao Moutinho tested Darlow from distance.

There was, though, a lack of flow to the game which continued to be punctuated with breaks for treatment and Joe Willock was eventually forced off nine minutes before half time and replaced by Hendrick.

Chances were rare but Wolves should have doubled their lead when Francisco Trincao blew a golden opening.

Ruben Neves found Hwang and his cross reached Trincao but the forward smashed a thundering effort off the underside of the bar.

It was a wretched miss and Wolves paid the price 73 seconds later when the Magpies levelled after 41 minutes.

Joelinton raced onto Saint-Maximin’s pass and Jose Sa injured himself diving at his feet.

The ball ran loose and Neves lost possession on the edge of the area for Javier Manquillo to find Hendrick and, with Sa struggling to regain his position, the substitute drilled into the corner from 25 yards.

Wolves were furious and boss Lage was booked while a bottle appeared to be thrown onto the pitch from the home fans in the aftermath but there was little wrong with the goal.

Emboldened, Newcastle went for another after the restart and Sa needed to be alert to block Saint-Maximin’s close-range effort following Joelinton’s cross.

But Wolves regrouped and restored their lead when Jimenez and Hwang and combined again for the winner after 58 minutes.

Jimenez showed excellent skill and strength to turn Longstaff and ride a challenge from Isaac Hayden to feed Hwang and the South Korea international produced another excellent low finish.

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ISMAILA SARR EARNS WATFORD A POINT AT ST. JAMES’S PARK

An Ismaila Sarr equaliser denied Newcastle their first win of the Premier League season in a 1-1 draw at Watford.

The Magpies went into the game with just two points so far in the league, before Sean Longstaff’s curled 20-yard strike gave the visitors a 24th minute lead at Vicarage Road.

Newcastle looked on course for their first win of the season, finishing with 19 shots and with five on target, but were unable to add to their lead.

Instead it was Watford who levelled the contest, when Ismaila Sarr found himself unmarked to nod home at the far post for a 72nd minute equaliser.

The Hornets thought they had a winner in the 87th minute when Joshua King slotted the ball past goalkeeper Karl Darlow – but VAR ruled the goal out for offside.

The game had all the markers of a hard-fought relegation battle with Jarred Gillett awarding seven yellow cards on his maiden Premier League game in charge.

It was a moment of history for the Australian, who became the first referee from outside the UK and Ireland to take charge in the English top flight.

In the first 90 seconds of the match, Darlow was called into action when Watford broke down the right, with King playing in Emmanuel Dennis – who took a shot from a tight angle but saw it blocked by the keeper.

In the 24th minute, the ball was played to Longstaff from Allan Saint-Maximin, before he curled a shot from 20 yards into the top left-hand corner, past Ben Foster’s outstretched hands.

Watford had to wait to find an opening to try to level, but just after half an hour Darlow dived low to save a low effort from Sarr – who had driven through the Newcastle midfield to create the opportunity.

Just before the break, Newcastle had an ideal opportunity to double their advantage as Saint-Maximin was played through in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, he tried to round Foster but the defence were able to get back, and although he found Longstaff, the goalscorer fired over the bar.

The second half was less frantic than the first, and there were no significant chances for either side despite a break from Watford when they had the numerical advantage, but Javier Manquillo was able to get back and dispossess King.

Foster was forced into a double save in the 65th minute, first to deny Miguel Almiron from range, and then from Joelinton’s follow-up.

Newcastle continued to press, with Foster making a save to deny Willock after he was played in by Saint-Maximin less than three minutes later.

However, the visitors were unable to make their possession count, and Watford found the equaliser in the 72nd minute.

Almiron had given away a needless corner, which was flicked on by King to the back post, where Sarr was unmarked and able to head the ball past Darlow.

In the 87th minute, King put the ball in the back of the net after Moussa Sissoko’s parried shot found the Hornets number seven, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside.

Both sides had opportunities in the remaining minutes but neither could find the breakthrough and it finished 1-1.

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Cristiano Ronaldo in line to train with Manchester United on Thursday

Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly train with his new Manchester United teammates on Thursday ahead of making his second debut for the club against Newcastle United on September 11.

The 36-year-old became the all-time highest international men’s goalscorer on Wednesday night when he scored his 110th and 111th goals for Portugal in their 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland, but a booking in the latter stages of the contest means that he is suspended for the clash with Azerbaijan, which saw him released from international duty early.

Ronaldo flew into Manchester Airport on Thursday evening but was immediately forced to isolate for five days in line with government regulations.

Providing that Ronaldo returns two negative coronavirus tests then he will be able to link up with his new teammates next week, and according to journalist Tom McDermott, the former Sporting Lisbon youngster will begin training at Carrington on Thursday.

McDermott has also claimed, via Twitter, that the former Juventus attacker will be in the starting XI for Man United’s clash with Newcastle on September 11.

The Portuguese, who will again wear the number seven shirt for the Red Devils, has penned a two-year deal at Old Trafford, returning to the club that he previously represented between 2003 and 2009.

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WESTHAM COME BACK TWICE TO BEAT NEWCASTLE 4-2 AT ST JAMES’S PARK

West Ham twice came from a goal down to start their Premier League campaign with a 4-2 victory against Newcastle in front of a bumper 50,673 attendance at St James’ Park.

Callum Wilson and Jacob Murphy struck either side of Aaron Cresswell’s 18th-minute leveller to put the hosts 2-1 ahead at the interval, after which three Hammers goals in 14 second-half minutes settled the contest.

Said Benrahma dragged the away side level again before Tomas Soucek put West Ham ahead for the first time, reacting quickly after Michail Antonio had seen his penalty saved by Freddie Woodman on his Premier League debut.

Antonio struck beyond the young goalkeeper soon afterwards as West Ham avenged a pair of defeats by Newcastle last season, with boos from the home support at the final whistle underlining the task facing Steve Bruce.

It has been a frustrating summer for the Magpies head coach and while he added to his squad with the acquisition of Joe Willock, unveiled to a deafening reception before kick-off, he was unable to call upon the midfielder, who was not registered in time for this fixture.

David Moyes, who guided West Ham to a surprise sixth-place finish last term and Europa League football, has also endured what he termed a “difficult” window although they were well worth their three points on Sunday.

Miguel Almiron was alert at the near post to block Soucek’s header in a frenzied start, where Newcastle took the lead in the fifth minute through their new number nine’s header, continuing his fine run against the Hammers.

Allan Saint-Maximin was the architect, twisting and turning with abandon on the right to confound Declan Rice before an inch-perfect cross allowed Wilson to bag his ninth goal in 11 career top-flight games versus West Ham.

Moyes’ side rallied and deservedly equalised, albeit in fortuitous circumstances as Cresswell’s teasing low ball drifted beyond the outstretched leg of Soucek before Jarrod Bowen tapped in after the ball had crossed the line. An offside flag was raised against Bowen but the goal stood after consulting the video assistant referee

Bowen had an excellent opportunity after ghosting past several Newcastle defenders only to be denied by Woodman, whose godfather and England boss Gareth Southgate was watching on.

Wilson’s audacious backheel was kept out by Lukasz Fabianski while Almiron’s shot deflected on to the top of the crossbar.

But Newcastle retook the lead five minutes before the end of an entertaining first half as Murphy stooped to head home after Matt Ritchie’s cross from the by-line had just evaded the leaping Wilson.

West Ham hit back again eight minutes after half-time, with Benrahma getting in-between two defenders to head in at the back post following a cross from Antonio, who did well on the left after initially miscontrolling.

Antonio then saw a bullet header cannon off the bar and ricochet into Murphy, who scythed down Pablo Fornals in the area in an attempt to claim the loose ball. Referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot and while Woodman guessed right to save Antonio’s effort low to his left, Soucek was first to the rebound and bundled in after 63 minutes.

It took only another three minutes for West Ham to seize complete control as Antonio finally got on the scoresheet on the counter, getting the ball on to his right foot and drilling low into the corner beyond a helpless Woodman.

Newcastle huffed and puffed thereafter, with substitute Ryan Fraser seeing a shot just miss the target, but the Tynesiders found stubborn resistance from West Ham and a substantial amount of jeers greeted the final whistle.

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MAN UNITED’S AXEL TUANZEBE SET TO JOIN ASTON VILLA ON SEASON-LONG LOAN DEAL

Axel Tuanzebe is reportedly set to cut short his Manchester United nightmare and secure a season-long loan move to Aston Villa in the coming days.

According to a reliable source, Villa have struck an agreement with United over the 23-year-old’s temporary move to the Midlands.

Tuanzebe has less than a year remaining on his current contract at Old Trafford and is expected to extend it for another year before sealing a move to Villa Park.

United will exercise the extension clause before letting the talented defender join the Lions for the third time.

Indeed, Tuanzebe first linked up with Villa on a six-month loan in January 2018, spending the second part of the season in Birmingham.

Despite his sporadic appearances, Dean Smith decided to give the youngster another shot next term, which turned out to be a massive hit.

Tuanzebe played a significant part in Villa’s promotion-winning 2018/19 Championship campaign, helping the side return to the top-flight after a three-year hiatus.

However, the centre-back’s sparkling displays for the Claret & Blue Army ensured the his return to United, where he failed to hold down a regular starting berth.

Often tormented by physical setbacks, Tuanzebe spent most of his career under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer playing second fiddle to the likes of Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly.

With the arrival of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, his chances of breaking into Solskjaer’s starting XI have suffered another devastating blow.

So a departure was the only reasonable solution for the young prospect, who needs regular playing time to fulfil his potential.

Yet, Tuanzebe will have to fight Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings for the place in Smith’s starting line-up.

Despite Villa’s disappointing defensive record last season, the pair’s game time was never compromised due to a lack of reliable back-up options.

With Tuanzebe likely to become the club’s fourth signing this summer, Smith will have another solid defender to increase competition at the back.

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FERRAN TORRES NETS HAT-TRICK AS MANCITY EDGE NEWCASTLE IN SEVEN GOAL THRILLER

Ferran Torres plundered a hat-trick as Premier League champions Manchester City came from behind twice to edge a seven-goal thriller at Newcastle.

A much-changed City side with a Champions League final to come trailed 1-0 to Emil Krafth’s header and 3-2 from Joe Willock’s rebound following a missed penalty, with Joao Cancelo, Joelinton – from the spot – and Torres scoring in between at St James’ Park.

However, the Spain international leveled after 64 minutes and then won it two minutes later as a rip-roaring encounter finished 4-3 to the visitors.

Pep Guardiola’s men sit 13 points clear at the top of the table as a result, but Newcastle, who secured their top-flight status last weekend – helping head coach Steve Bruce claim the Manager of the Month award for April in the process – made life distinctly uncomfortable for them at times.

Guardiola sprang something of a surprise ahead of kick-off when he handed 35-year-old loan goalkeeper Scott Carson a debut for the club and a first Premier League appearance in almost 10 years, but he saw little action early on as the visitors dominated both possession and territory, although without threatening.

Gabriel Jesus volleyed just wide after Federico Fernandez and Paul Dummett got into a muddle under an eighth-minute high ball, and Torres stabbed an attempt past the post after Ilkay Gundogan and Cancelo had linked superbly down the left five minutes later.

With Gundogan, Rodri and Bernardo Silva conducting affair from the middle of the field, the Magpies were penned back deep inside their own half for extended periods, although it was they who took the lead with 25 minutes gone after Kyle Walker had blocked Joelinton’s shot out for a corner.

Jonjo Shelvey sent the set-piece to the far post where Krafth rose to power a header past the helpless Carson.

The keeper needed the help of the crossbar to spare his side further damage 10 minutes later after Shelvey’s free-kick had cleared both the defensive wall and his out-stretched hand, and Newcastle’s fortunes took a significant turn for the worse before the break.

First keeper Martin Dubravka was wrong-footed as Cancelo’s driven 39th-minute shot clipped Jacob Murphy’s heels and flew across him and inside the far post, and he could only look on in horror once again three minutes later when Torres dispatched a Gundogan free-kick with an imperious flick.

But it was Carson who was picking the ball out of his net for a second time deep into first-half stoppage time when – after a lengthy VAR check – referee Kevin Friend awarded a penalty for Nathan Ake’s clumsy challenge on Joelinton and the Brazilian smashed the spot-kick home to level.

The visitors continued to enjoy the great share of the ball after the break but were repeatedly let down by an uncharacteristic imprecision and it was Newcastle who created the more promising openings.

However, in a madcap four minutes, City fell behind and then surged ahead when, after Willock had netted the rebound after his 62nd-minute penalty miss, having been tripped by Walker, Torres leveled from Jesus’ cross and then completed his treble, following up as Cancelo’s shot came back of the post.

The champions appeared to decide the best way to prevent an equaliser was to simply not allow their opponents the ball while attempting to fashion a fifth goal, and in the event, they saw out time comfortably.

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AUBAMEYANG, ELNENY ON TARGET AS ARSENAL PICKS MAXIMUM POINTS AT NEWCASTLE

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang marked his first Premier League appearance for almost a month by scoring in a 2-0 victory at Newcastle United.

Arsenal went ahead on five minutes when the Gabonese striker mishit his shot and the ball fell invitingly for Mohamed Elneny, who fired in his first PL goal.

Grant Xhaka’s 29th-minute shot was tipped over by Martin Dubravka before Elneny’s header was cleared off the line by Miguel Almiron from the resulting corner.

The Gunners’ pressure was rewarded on 66 minutes when Aubameyang acrobatically volleyed in a brilliant left-wing delivery from Gabriel Martinelli, meaning he has scored in five successive league matches versus Newcastle.

Fabian Schar was sent off for a challenge on Martinelli late on as Arsenal moved up to ninth in the table on 49 points, five adrift of the top six.

Newcastle remain 17th, nine points clear of the relegation zone with four matches remaining.

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LIVERPOOL PEGGED BACK BY LATE JOE WILLOCK STRIKE AS NEWCASTLE SNATCH LATE EQUALISER AT ANFIELD

Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock snatched a 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield with a goal in injury time.

An extra minute was added for a VAR decision which had ruled out a Callum Wilson goal in stoppage time and on-loan Arsenal man Willock took full advantage.

The unconvincing performance did little for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of restoring the club’s battered reputation in the wake of the Super League controversy and even less for their top-four aspirations.

Mohamed Salah’s goal from their first shot on target was a class apart as he succeeded where Robbie Fowler and Luis Suarez came up short by scoring 20 Premier League goals in a season for a third time.

The Egypt international now has 93 in 140 league appearances and moved into the top 12 of the club’s all-time goalscorers with 123 in 198 matches.

Unfortunately none of his previously prolific team-mates came anywhere close to matching him as despite a largely passive Newcastle allowing them plenty of opportunities, this was another laboured and disappointing afternoon in front of an empty Anfield.

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SAINT MAXIMIN INSPIRES NEWCASTLE 2-1 VITORY AT BURNLEY

Substitute Allan Saint-Maximin scored one goal and created another as Newcastle United moved six points clear of the bottom three with a turnaround win at Burnley.

Matej Vydra had put Burnley ahead on 18 minutes, converting Chris Wood’s cutback for his third goal in five matches.

Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka made three great saves before the match turned with the introductions of Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson just before the hour-mark.

Less than two minutes after coming on, Saint-Maximin set up Jacob Murphy to slam a shot past Bailey Peacock-Farrell, who was deputising for the injured Nick Pope.

Five minutes later Saint-Maximin completed the turnaround, running from his own half, tricking past James Tarkowski and scoring from just inside the box.

Newcastle are on 32 points, behind 16th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion on goal difference, and only one point behind Burnley in 15th.

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SUPER SUB WILLOCK STRIKE LATE TO EARN NEWCASTLE A POINT AGAINST TOTTENHAM

An 85th-minute equaliser by Newcastle United substitute Joe Willock earned his side what could be a crucial draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

Hugo Lloris made a superb double save to deny Dwight Gayle before Newcastle went in front through Joelinton’s first-time finish on 28 minutes.

The lead only lasted 90 seconds, as Harry Kane tapped in from close range before the striker fired in superbly to score his second and give Spurs a 34th-minute advantage.

Kane, who now leads the Golden Boot race with 19 goals, hit a post moments before Willock, on loan at Newcastle from Arsenal, blasted in off the underside of the crossbar from close range to equalise.

A first draw in 13 matches leaves Spurs fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, as they missed the chance to move into the top four.

Newcastle stay 17th, three points clear of Fulham, with a match in hand.