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.
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".
Sutton's predictions: Wolves v Newcastlepublished at 10:58 GMT 18 January
10:58 GMT 18 January
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.
Wolves v Newcastle: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 12:31 GMT 17 January
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.
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.
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.
Edwards on Munetsi loan, team's progress and transfer speculationpublished at 14:31 GMT 16 January
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'."
Wolves midfielder Munetsi joins Paris FC on loan published at 12:35 GMT 16 January
12:35 GMT 16 January
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image 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.
Gossip: Wolves target two Scottish youngsterspublished at 08:09 GMT 16 January
08:09 GMT 16 January
Wolves are hoping to beat a host of Premier League rivals to two Scottish teenagers - Dundee United striker Kai Hutchinson, 15, and 17-year-old Aberdeen midfielder Cooper Masson. (Teamtalk), external
No approaches yet for Gomes and Strand Larsenpublished at 14:24 GMT 15 January
14:24 GMT 15 January
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image 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.
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.
Which Premier League teams are defying their xG numbers?published at 09:06 GMT 15 January
09:06 GMT 15 January
Chris Collinson BBC Sport statistician
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.
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.
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.
Gossip: Atletico Madrid keen on Gomespublished at 07:57 GMT 15 January
07:57 GMT 15 January
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
'Keep dancing' - why win over Shrewsbury matteredpublished at 12:26 GMT 14 January
12:26 GMT 14 January
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
Image 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.
Sell or keep Strand Larsen?published at 11:33 GMT 13 January
11:33 GMT 13 January
Emma Milton Fan writer
Image 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.
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.