Barnes brilliant strike sparks Newcastle’s comeback victory against Wolves

Harvey Barnes’ spectacular goal preserved Newcastle’s unbeaten start to the season as the Magpies came from behind to secure a win at Wolves.

The winger, who came on as a substitute, scored a stunning 20-yard strike with 10 minutes remaining, shortly after Fabian Schar had equalized.

Mario Lemina had given Wolves the lead with his first goal since February, but Gary O’Neil’s side is still without a win after four games.

Newcastle began the match strongly, with Wolves’ keeper Sam Johnstone tipping Jacob Murphy’s shot over the bar after Murphy broke through. This led to an animated exchange between O’Neil and defender Craig Dawson.

The visitors continued to press early on, with Anthony Gordon hitting the post after a slick move past Nelson Semedo and a nutmeg of Yerson Mosquera.

Wolves settled into the game, and Lemina scored nine minutes before half-time, finishing Jorgen Strand Larsen’s cross following a clever dummy from Joao Gomes.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe made three substitutions at half-time, bringing on Barnes, Sandro Tonali, and Joe Willock for Alexsandar Isak, Sean Longstaff, and Joelinton.

The changes initially had little effect, and after Johnstone saved a strike from Bruno Guimaraes, Strand Larsen nearly doubled Wolves’ lead, hitting the post in the 52nd minute.

Nick Pope made key saves from Strand Larsen and Matheus Cunha, and Schar leveled the score with a deflected 30-yard shot 15 minutes from time. Barnes then scored a superb goal to secure the win for Newcastle.

Pope denied Cunha a late equalizer, and Barnes missed a chance to add a third for Newcastle, shooting wide with just Johnstone to beat.

At the end of the transfer window, Eddie Howe refrained from criticizing his squad, despite it seeming weaker compared to last year.

The free transfer of Lloyd Kelly from Bournemouth and the arrivals of young forward William Osula and goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos did little to generate excitement, especially after the failed bid for Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.

Fast forward two weeks, and Newcastle remain unbeaten, sitting third in the early Premier League standings. The team received a warm send-off from the traveling fans after a comeback victory at Molineux.

While Newcastle’s performance at times may have been underwhelming, Harvey Barnes’ moment of brilliance secured the win, and there was a noticeable sense of unity at the final whistle.

This sense of unity had been questioned following a lackluster transfer window and the appointment of Paul Mitchell as sporting director, who had criticized the club’s previous transfer strategy as “unfit for purpose.”

Although TV cameras frequently focused on Mitchell in the stands, Howe, who has dismissed any claims of internal issues, has managed to dispel alternative narratives with an unbeaten start to the season.

Wolves manager Gary O’Neil might feel like a broken record after yet another narrow defeat.

Though the team remains winless in their first four Premier League games, their performance continued to show promise, suggesting that long-term issues might not be a concern.

However, with upcoming fixtures against Aston Villa, Liverpool, Brentford, and Manchester City, the pressure is on to avoid extending their rough patch into October.

O’Neil maintains that Wolves are still the underdogs in the Premier League and need time to adjust after the transfer window.

The squad has enough quality and depth—more than last season—to overcome any future challenges.

Striker Strand Larsen has displayed potential, midfielder Andre had a dynamic full debut, and goalkeeper Johnstone is expected to be a valuable addition from Crystal Palace.

While Wolves need to address their disappointing start, there is no sense of panic at the moment.

Player of the Match: H. Barnes