Wolverhampton Wanderers

Latest updates

  1. Wolves v Newcastle: Team newspublished at 13:08 GMT 18 January

    Wolves line up

    Wolves boss Rob Edwards makes just one change from their last Premier League game to face Newcastle.

    Andre returns to replace Jhon Arias, who drops to the bench, following the 1-1 draw at Everton.

    Former Newcastle target Jorgen Strand Larsen remains on the bench despite his hat-trick in the 6-1 FA Cup win over Shrewsbury last week.

    Wolves XI: Sa, Tchatchoua, Mosquera, S Bueno, Krejci, H Bueno, Andre, J Gomes, Mane, Hwang, Arokodare

    Subs: Johnstone, Lima, Doherty, Agbadou, Wolfe, Lopez, R Gomes, Arias, Strand Larsen

    Nick Woltemade returns for Newcastle as Eddie Howe makes four changes at Molineux.

    Kieran Trippier, Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes also start with Lewis Miley, Jacob Ramsey, Jacob Murphy and Yoane Wissa dropping to the bench following Tuesday's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg defeat to Manchester City.

    Newcastle are chasing four straight Premier League wins for the first time since April 2025.

    Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Joelinton, Tonali, Guimaraes, Gordon, Barnes, Woltemade

    Subs: Ramsdale, Wissa, Elanga, Willock, Murphy, Ramsey, Shahar, Neave, Miley.

    Newcastle line up
  2. Follow Sunday's Premier League games livepublished at 12:45 GMT 18 January

    A graphic showing players from all 20 Premier League clubs with the text: "Follow the teams you care about. Sign in or create an account for the latest news, insight, expert opinion, fan views and stats, and to get notifications."
    An image detailing how to follow your Premier League team on BBC Sport: "On the app? Tap the bell icon to get news about your club sent to you. Signed in on a browser? Hit 'Follow' to stay up to date.

    There are two games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

    Kick-off times GMT

    Follow Wolves v Newcastle here

    And go here for Aston Villa v Everton

    You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Wolves v Newcastle" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Aston Villa v Everton".

    Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

    The BBC Sounds logo against a black background
  3. Sutton's predictions: Wolves v Newcastlepublished at 10:58 GMT 18 January

    Chris Sutton smiling on a yellow and black background with 'Sutton's predictions' written below his face

    This is a tough one to call because Wolves will feel like they have a little bit of momentum at last, while I am wondering where Newcastle will get their energy from - and how many fit players they have got left.

    Wolves are three games unbeaten in the league, including their first win of the season against West Ham, and they even looked like they were enjoying themselves when they beat Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup - that has not happened very often at Molineux recently.

    Newcastle have got a few players out, with Jacob Murphy the latest to be injured in their Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City in midweek.

    Eddie Howe's side have climbed to sixth on the back of three straight league wins, but after this they have a huge Champions League game with PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday - so it will be interesting to see what team he picks here.

    Every game is important for Newcastle, but Howe will need to rest some players at some point. If he does it here, it could cost them. I've changed my mind a few times about the outcome of this one, but I am going to go for a draw.

    Sutton's prediction: 1-1

    Read the full predictions and have your say

  4. Wolves v Newcastle: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 12:31 GMT 17 January

    Matt Jones
    BBC Sport journalist

    Newcastle United will be out to improve their poor Premier League away record on Sunday but need to tame an improving Wolves.

    Newcastle had won four in a row before their 2-0 Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg loss to Manchester City on Tuesday. Back-to-back Premier League victories over Burnley and Leeds propelled them into sixth spot after 21 games.

    Mane spearheading Wolves revival

    Wolves still have a mountain to climb if they're to avoid relegation – they are 14 points away from safety – although they have made noticeable progress under Rob Edward. A 6-1 win over Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup made it four unbeaten in all competitions.

    While some shrewd tactical tweaks by Edwards have steadied Wolves, Mateus Mane establishing himself as a first-team player has been transformative to their fortunes.

    The 18-year-old was on the bench for the FA Cup win, which probably indicates his new-found importance to their league campaign. He has started the past four Premier League games and scored in the last two in a row.

    He is looking to become the latest player aged 18 and under to score in three consecutive Premier League games, a feat achieved by Michael Owen (twice, 1997 and 1998), Danny Cadamarteri (1997), Francis Jeffers (1999) and Mason Greenwood (2020).

    While other teams have toiled after a heavy festive schedule, Wolves have played with a freshness in their last four games. Only Chelsea have made more changes to their starting XI this season (66) than the Molineux outfit, with Joao Gomes the only player in the squad to have started more than 18 games.

    A graph showing how Wolves have rotated their squad this season

    Newcastle on road to ruin?

    Wolves are still bottom of the table though and for Newcastle this match represents a fine chance to improve their woes on the road. They have won just two Premier League away games all season and there are parts of the team still lacking balance.

    Star forward Nick Woltemade has not scored in his last six appearances since the brace against Chelsea. The German has only started three of the last seven games in all competitions too, with Howe now able to call on the fully fit Yoane Wissa.

    Newcastle, given their European commitments, are also feeling the wear and tear of the season. Tino Livramento is the latest first-team player in the treatment room after he suffered a hamstring problem in the FA Cup win over Bournemouth; Howe is without six other senior players this weekend.

    These injury problems align with the physicality Newcastle play with. They have made 857 recovery runs – running back from the opposition half to their own to regain their defensive position – which is more than any other Premier League team. Joelinton has made 83 alone.

    The image displays a bar chart detailing the most "recovery runs" made by  Premier League teams this season.  Newcastle have made the most recovery runs, with 857.
  5. Leeds enquire about Wolves striker Strand Larsenpublished at 15:14 GMT 16 January

    Nick Mashiter
    Football reporter

    Jorgen Strand Larsen celebrates scoring for WolvesImage source, Getty Images

    Leeds have enquired about buying Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.

    The Elland Road side have been quoted £40m for the Norway international but are yet to make a firm bid.

    BBC Sport has been told the club's profit and sustainability considerations, and with other clubs interested, may make any deal complicated.

    Leeds, 16th in the Premier League, have already signed Brighton attacker Facundo Buonanotte on loan this week.

    West Ham have previously asked about Strand Larsen but backed off because of Wolves' asking price, while Nottingham Forest have him on their list of targets.

    Strand Larsen has scored six goals this season, including a hat-trick in Saturday's 6-1 FA Cup win over Shrewsbury.

    But he has netted just once in the Premier League - a penalty against Burnley in October - leading to some fans turning on the 26-year-old.

    He scored 14 goals last season after joining on loan from Celta Vigo before making the move permanent for £23m in the summer.

    Newcastle had bids rejected for him in the summer and he signed a new five-year deal in September but Wolves are open to letting him leave, with Wolves bottom of the Premier League and expected to be relegated.

    Rob Edwards is looking to reshape his squad but Joao Gomes could still stay at Molineux this month, despite interest from Atletico Madrid and Napoli.

    The midfielder is prepared to wait until the summer, with Serie A side Napoli believed to be frontrunners, although Wolves still remain open to letting the Brazil international leave if there is an acceptable offer.

  6. Edwards on Munetsi loan, team's progress and transfer speculationpublished at 14:31 GMT 16 January

    Flora Snelson
    BBC Sport journalist

    Wolves boss Rob Edwards has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Newcastle at Molineux (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

    Here are the key lines from his news conference:

    • Emmanuel Agbadou is back from Afcon and available for selection, while Tawanda Chirewa has been ill so has not trained this week.

    • Edwards on the "good feeling" in the squad: "We're in a difficult position but you've still got to enjoy coming to work, people are allowed to smile and laugh." His message for players is to continue to progress "slowly, but surely".

    • On the "complex" January window: "If certain players are to go, we dictate that - then, we'll look at where we can add. We're always thinking about the jigsaw puzzle and making sure we have a good balance when the window closes. "

    • He added: "There's a lot of lads around who want to right some of the wrongs, and want to help the club and do well for themselves and for the football club as well. They are genuinely all committed - which isn't to say no one is going to go - but it's not like people are banging the door down or trying to force anything."

    • Edwards said that "attitude, ability and athleticism" are the three key factors when considering new additions.

    • On Marshall Munetsi's loan move to Paris FC: "He's a great guy. It's the right thing for him, with the numbers in that midfield area, and it's the right thing for the football club as well."

    • On transfer speculation around defender Agbadou and midfielder Joao Gomes: "They're here and they're committed. We'll treat everything on an individual basis."

    • Edwards is looking forward to a "really difficult" but "exciting" game against Newcastle.

    • On strikers Jorgen Strand Larsen and Tolu Arokodare: "They can play together and be effective. It's important the people don't think 'it's him or him'."

    Hear more from Edwards on BBC Sounds

    Listen to live commentary of Wolves v Newcastle on BBC Radio 5 Live from 14:00 GMT on Sunday

    Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

  7. Wolves midfielder Munetsi joins Paris FC on loan published at 12:35 GMT 16 January

    Nick Mashiter
    Football reporter

    Marshall MunetsiImage source, Getty Images

    Wolves midfielder Marshall Munetsi has completed his loan move to Paris FC for the rest of the season.

    The 29-year-old has been allowed to leave by boss Rob Edwards, although there is no option for the Ligue 1 side to buy him.

    Edwards and the club have opted to let Munetsi go as he does not fit well enough into the head coach's system and his playing time would have been limited with the emergence of Mateus Mane.

    Allowing him to move on loan also enables the midfielder to maintain his value and gives Wolves a better option to sell him at the right time, most likely in the summer, as they brace themselves for relegation to the Championship with the side bottom of the Premier League.

    He has started just once under Edwards, the 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace in November, which was his first game in charge.

    Munetsi started 12 times in the second half of last season under Vitor Pereira to help Wolves finish 16th.

    He moved to Molineux for £16m from Reims last February and has made 31 appearances, scoring four goals, with his most recent strike coming in October's 3-2 home defeat by Burnley.

    Paris FC are 15th in Ligue 1 but beat neighbours Paris St-Germain 1-0 in the Coupe de France on Monday.

  8. No approaches yet for Gomes and Strand Larsenpublished at 14:24 GMT 15 January

    Nick Mashiter
    Football reporter

    Joao Gomes and Jorgen Strand Larsen in the dressing roomImage source, Getty Images

    Wolves are yet to have any formal contact from Atletico Madrid or Nottingham Forest for Joao Gomes and Jorgen Strand Larsen.

    There is an expectation at Molineux their resolve will be tested in the next two weeks but they are willing to remain firm to get the best price, if they sanction exits.

    Wolves are aware of Atletico's interest in midfielder Gomes as they look to replace Conor Gallagher after his £35m move to Tottenham this week.

    Gomes moved to Molineux from Flamengo in 2023 and has made 113 appearances, scoring seven times.

    The 24-year-old has not played for Brazil for almost a year and needs to revive his international career going into the summer's World Cup.

    He signed a five-year contract in April, leaving Wolves in a strong bargaining position despite sitting bottom of the Premier League.

    Forest have Strand Larsen on their list of targets and any move for him would need to break their transfer record, set by Omari Hutchinson's £37.5m arrival from Ipswich in the summer.

    But, like Gomes, there is yet to be contact between the clubs although Wolves remain braced for offers.

    Strand Larsen, who joined from Celta Vigo initially on loan in 2024, scored a hat-trick in Saturday's 6-1 FA Cup win over Shrewsbury but has netted just once in the Premier League this season.

    He penned a five-year deal in September after scoring 14 times last season but Wolves are willing to sell having rejected bids from Newcastle in the summer.

  9. West Ham wrongly denied penalty at Wolves, panel sayspublished at 12:34 GMT 15 January

    Dale Johnson
    Football issues correspondent

    Tomas Soucek of West Ham United looks dejectedImage source, Getty Images

    The video assistant referee should have intervened to give West Ham a spot-kick at Wolves, the Premier League's Key Match Incidents Panel has said.

    West Ham had already conceded three times in their 3-0 defeat at Molineux when they won a corner in the 73rd minute.

    As the ball came over, Tomas Soucek went to ground under a challenge from Ladislav Krejci.

    Referee Peter Bankes allowed play to continue. It was checked by the VAR, Tim Wood, who felt there was mutual holding by the two players.

    The KMI Panel has voted 4-1 that a penalty should have been awarded by the referee and 3-2 that a VAR intervention was missed.

    The panel felt that the Krejci had committed "an extreme non-footballing action which had impact, without looking at the ball".

    The KMI Panel supported the 29th-minute penalty Wolves were given for Soungoutou Magassa's challenge on Mateus Mane.

    The two players challenged for a bouncing ball at the same time with Mane just getting there first.

    Bankes' decision was supported on a split 3-2 vote, with the panel unanimous that the VAR was right not to intervene.

  10. Which Premier League teams are defying their xG numbers?published at 09:06 GMT 15 January

    Chris Collinson
    BBC Sport statistician

    Chart showing xG difference numbers for all 20 Premier League clubs, with Arsenal top (+19.7) and Burnley bottom (-21.3)

    With more than half of the season gone, we have enough stats to get a good idea of how well Premier League teams have been playing and therefore how things will likely unfold in the months ahead.

    Expected goals tells us how well teams do the basics of football by creating lots of good chances up front and limiting their opponents to few, difficult ones at the back.

    With the figures based on how Premier League teams have performed in the past, history shows that the higher a team's xG difference - the more they dominate games - the more chance they have of success.

    If we compare teams' xG difference with the points they have taken this season, we can clearly see in the chart below that the majority of sides' results align closely with their general performance.

    But there are three teams who have so far defied their xG numbers, in either a good way, or a bad way: Aston Villa, Sunderland and Wolves.

    Chart showing Aston Villa and Sunderland outperforming - and Wolves underperforming - their xG stats compared to other Premier League clubs
    Image caption,

    Source: Opta

    Aston Villa and Sunderland have almost certainly achieved their season objectives already, with Opta giving Villa a 96% chance of Champions League football and the Black Cats a 99% chance of survival.

    This is not about whether the two sides "deserve" to be where they are in the table. The fact that they have scored and kept out the goals they have means they have earned those positions, thanks in part to Villa's elite long-range finishing and Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs being the best shot-stopper in the league.

    But what it does show is that this season's success is built on shaky ground and there is still work to be done if Villa wish to establish themselves at the top of the Premier League long-term and Sunderland are to avoid suffering second-season syndrome next season.

    Villa fans will rightly point out that their team has regularly overperformed their xG under Unai Emery, while Sunderland fans will claim that you cannot measure tenacity and togetherness.

    At the other end, while Wolves have been playing like a team worthy of relegation, they have been far better than the tally of two points they had until recently, so it is no real surprise their results have begun to improve.

    Expected goals is not perfect and there are aspects of football that can never be captured on a spreadsheet, but history shows that it has a great track record for predicting a team's long-term success.

    What else does xG predict for the rest of the Premier League season?

  11. Gossip: Atletico Madrid keen on Gomespublished at 07:57 GMT 15 January

    Gossip graphic

    Atletico Madrid are targeting Wolves' Brazil midfielder Joao Gomes, 24, after the Spanish club sold England international Conor Gallagher to Tottenham on Wednesday. (Marca - in Spanish), external

    Meanwhile, Zimbabwe midfielder Marshall Munetsi, 29, is poised to join Paris FC on loan. (L'Equipe - in French), external

    Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

    Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

  12. 'Keep dancing' - why win over Shrewsbury matteredpublished at 12:26 GMT 14 January

    Mike Taylor
    BBC Radio WM reporter

    Rodrigo Gomes celebrates with a smile for WolvesImage source, Getty Images

    The smiler returns.

    No doubt most professional footballers are pleased with their career choice – so they should be, you might say – but it's hard to think of many who so obviously find such joy in their work as Rodrigo Gomes.

    "It was a perfect day, perfect return," he said after making his first appearance since an operation in October. Bounding on to the stage grinning like a Strictly winner, he scored a goal, brought the house down, and grinned some more. Keep dancing.

    Granted, Shrewsbury Town were not Premier League opponents, but in a season which has generated so much angst for the club and supporters, there was no reason to be modest with their celebrations. There is a growing sense that the dark clouds are beginning to lift. Relegation may still be coming, but a brighter time beyond that is starting to appear in view.

    Taking pleasure where they can on the journey will be necessary to pull Wolves through the tougher parts, and they will need happy warriors like Gomes to light the way forward. Reading the room, Rob Edwards gently admonished my suggestion that it had been a very satisfactory day. "I think we can go a bit more than that... it was an enjoyable day all round," he said. So it was.

    That enjoyment, rather than the football itself – good though much of it was – may be the long-lasting benefit from the weekend, and more rewarding over time than the awkward assignment of Grimsby Town in the fourth round. Not only was the attendance rather larger than many predictions – more than 21,000 in the home sections – but you could tell that this was not entirely the usual crowd.

    On social media, proud parents announced the day that their children were going to Molineux for the first time. For many Wolves-supporting families, a season ticket for everyone is a financial impossibility. The club's decision to cut prices so sharply for this fixture gave them an opportunity to reconnect, and pass on that connection to a new generation. A young child who sees six goals the first time they're taken to football is probably going to want to go again.

    And that matters because, if by next season the glitz and worldwide pull of the Premier League has gone, Wolves will need those people to help them start a cycle of renewal.

    All clubs experience this sometimes. For some in that youngest generation, Shrewsbury in January 2026 will be the day the football bug bit, the day the cycle began again.

    Listen to full commentary of Wolves v Newcastle at 14:00 on Sunday on BBC Radio WM

    And tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

    Explore Wolves content on BBC Sounds

  13. Sell or keep Strand Larsen?published at 11:33 GMT 13 January

    Emma Milton
    Fan writer

    Wolverhampton Wanderers fan's voice banner
    Jorgen Strand Larsen of Wolverhampton Wanderers scores his team's first goalImage source, Getty Images

    Wolves fans have lived through enough transfer window drama to know this much: whatever you choose, someone will hate it. That is why the Jorgen Strand Larsen question is so loaded.

    On paper, the answer sounds simple. If a big bid arrives in January, you sell.

    The problem is we are not going to get anywhere near the money that was on the table last summer. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it is also selective. At that moment, with the deadline closing and no plan B striker lined up, cashing in could have looked like surrender. If Jeff Shi had sold then, the fanbase would have turned even more toxic than it already was. A club fighting for its life cannot sell hope without consequences.

    What we have seen since is a forward who has really struggled without the right support. Strand Larsen is not the type to create something from nothing every week. He needs runners, service and confidence around him. Wolves have often lacked all three. That has left him feeding off scraps, chasing long balls and wearing the blame when chances are thin on the ground.

    Even so, his FA Cup hat-trick was a timely reminder of why he is still a wanted man. There is a proper Premier League striker there, and plenty of clubs will back themselves to get more out of him in a better team.

    Wolves should not blink first. If they sell in January, it has to be for a good price, because replacing a striker mid-season is expensive and risky.

    But there is something Wolves simply cannot do. Selling to a relegation rival like West Ham or Nottingham Forest would be a mistake, and it would feel like the final nail in the coffin for any glimmer of survival hope. You cannot hand a direct competitor a forward who can swing tight games, then ask Molineux to believe you are still fighting.

    So, keep him unless a good bid arrives from outside the scrap, with the money and the replacement already lined up. Anything else is just weakening ourselves twice over.

    Find more from Emma Milton at Always Wolves, external

  14. FA Cup fourth-round draw madepublished at 18:46 GMT 12 January

    General view of FA Cup bag and numbered ballsImage source, Getty Images

    The draw for the FA Cup fourth round has been made. Here is a list of all the ties involving Premier League teams in the order they were drawn.

    The matches will be played over the weekend of 14 February.

    • Liverpool/Barnsley v Brighton

    • Stoke City v Fulham

    • Oxford United v Sunderland

    • Arsenal v Wigan Athletic

    • Hull City v Chelsea

    • Burton Albion v West Ham

    • Burnley v Mansfield Town

    • Grimsby Town v Wolves

    • Aston Villa v Newcastle

    • Manchester City v Salford City/Swindon Town

    • Macclesfield v Brentford

    • Birmingham City v Leeds

    See the full draw

  15. Wolves 6-1 Shrewsbury Town - the fans' verdictpublished at 08:55 GMT 12 January

    Your Wolverhampton Wanderers opinions banner
    Media caption,

    We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's 6-1 win over Shrewsbury Town in the third round of the FA Cup.

    Here are some of your comments:

    Dan: Banana skin impressively avoided. Personally, I would play Jorgen Strand Larson with Mateus Mane with Mane in a number 10 role. I think it could be the next Bull and Mutch pairing in the making.

    Martin: I wouldn't read anything into it. I felt sorry for their fans as there was no effort from their players and it felt like a training session.

    Baz: A massive confidence boost. Never mind the lower league team, it was great to see smiles on the faces of our players, Rob Edwards and the fans. The recent trend of performances and results could just be the start of the turnaround that is so overdue.

    Richard: Perfect match for Wolves. An out of form striker scores a hat trick, players return from injuries and loans and get match time, and the players' confidence gets a further boost. Great team selection by Edwards, resting a few players, but keeping a strong nucleus.

    Ian: Just what we needed. Let's see if it continues in the Premier League.

    Graham: Job done! Premier League teams are always expected to beat a lower division team. Wolves were by no means exceptional, but had enough quality to stop an upset. All the best to Shrewsbury for the rest of the season.

    Josh: Quality performance to hopefully give some of the lads some confidence. Jackson Tchatchoua is awful though, so I don't want to see him start another game now Rodrigo Gomes is fit again.

  16. When is the fourth-round draw?published at 08:28 GMT 12 January

    The FA Cup trophyImage source, Getty Images

    The 2025-26 FA Cup fourth-round draw will take place on Monday, 12 January at approximately 18:35 GMT.

    Proceedings will take place before kick-off in the third-round tie between Liverpool and Barnsley at Anfield.

    Former England internationals Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole will conduct the draw that will consist of 32 teams live on TNT Sports.

    Supporters can also follow the draw on the BBC Sport website and app.

    All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 14 February.

    Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra time, and if necessary, a penalty shootout.

    Non-league Macclesfield are the lowest-ranked team in the draw after beating holders Crystal Palace in a remarkable 2-1 victory.

    What are the ball numbers?

    • 1. Wolverhampton Wanderers

    • 2. Southampton

    • 3. Aston Villa

    • 4. Port Vale

    • 5. Wigan Athletic

    • 6. Ipswich Town

    • 7. Wrexham

    • 8. Chelsea

    • 9. Manchester City

    • 10. West Ham United

    • 11. Brentford

    • 12. Fulham

    • 13. Sunderland

    • 14. Liverpool or Barnsley

    • 15. Burnley

    • 16. Norwich City

    • 17. Arsenal

    • 18. Leeds United

    • 19. West Bromwich Albion

    • 20. Salford City or Swindon Town

    • 21. Burton Albion

    • 22. Grimsby Town

    • 23. Hull City

    • 24. Newcastle United

    • 25. Oxford United

    • 26. Leicester City

    • 27. Birmingham City

    • 28. Bristol City

    • 29. Stoke City

    • 30. Macclesfield

    • 31. Brighton & Hove Albion

    • 32. Mansfield Town