Paul Merson, former midfielder for Arsenal, says he was “shocked” by Newcastle United’s Champions League loss to Borussia Dortmund, but he believes Eddie Howe’s team will win this evening at Wolverhampton Wanderers (kick-off 5:30pm).
Felix Nmecha’s goal just before halftime gave the Bundesliga team a 1-0 victory, ending the Magpies’ eight-game winning streak. With Paris Saint-Germain leading the group with six points, United and Dortmund tied with four, and AC Milan trailing with two, Group F is now wide open.
Newcastle’s attention will return to domestic competitions this afternoon, where they take on Wolves. Merson predicts a 2-1 victory for Howe’s team, despite Wolves being a decent team and having some good results this season.
“I was actually shocked by their defeat to Borussia Dortmund, I thought they’d blow the Bundesliga side out of the water,” Merson told Sportskeeda. “If Newcastle progress to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League and manage to sneak into the Premier League top four, I think that’ll count as a good season for them.”
Chris Sutton, a former Celtic and Blackburn Rovers striker, is also of the opinion that Newcastle will triumph by a slim margin (1-0).
In his BBC predictions column, Sutton stated, “This is not an easy one to call-Wolves have put together a four-game unbeaten run and Newcastle have got a few injuries to contend with, along with Sandro Tonali’s ban for breaching betting rules.”
“I think Gary O’Neil is doing a great job at Molineux, but the Magpies’ current strong defense will be crucial in this match.
“I predict Newcastle to withstand some pressure and win the game by nicking the points following their Champions League loss to Borussia Dortmund.
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