38mins Ruben Neves sprayed a pass out to the Wolves right from a central position midway into the Newcastle half. That was picked up by Pedro Neto, who turned infield with Allan Saint-Maximin shadowing him and pinged a crossfield ball to Goncalo Guedes on the opposite flank.

As Kieran Trippier came out to close him down, the midfielder funnelled a pass back towards the middle of the field, where Neves was lurking in space. Although Joe Willock tried to close him down, the Wolves player took a touch before hitting a right-footed drive from 25 yards that went through Willock's legs and arrowed inside Nick Pope's right hand post. 0-1

Half time: Wanderers 1 Magpies 0

90mins Substitutes Elliot Anderson and Jacob Murphy combined down the right but Murphy lost the ball in trying to keep it in play out on the byline.

Hee-Chan Hwang hoofed it clear but only to Allan Saint-Maximin outside the box, whose perfectly-struck volley flew into the bottom left hand corner of  net in front of the Stan Cullis Stand. Delicious. Not quite as good as Alan Shearer's famous volley at home to Everton but not far behind.

It's worth mentioning that at the time of netting, ASM was the nearest thing we had to a striker on the pitch, having moved into a more central role following the substitution of Chris Wood. 1-1

Full time: Wanderers 1 Magpies 1

"I think we deserved more the three points. It's hard to go inside and see the frustration of my players because it was an unlucky goal, and then the other decisions, VAR every time was against us, so that causes frustration.

On Neves' comments about Schar's yellow card:

"I have to agree with the player. I will say maybe 90 per cent of people, after watching the images, will say it's a red card but the referee and the VAR take another decision.

"It should have been red card in my opinion. In the other situation, the referee comes to watch and take a decision about the goal. Why didn't he come to take a decision about this one?"
 

Stats

Record signing Alexander Isak travelled to Molineux but was unable to make his bow due to the non-receipt of a work permit. The Magpies have scored exactly one goal in each of the last nine home and away PL meetings with Wolves, ten if you include Championship matches. United wore their fourth different kit in as many games - debuting the white one with the green details. Sean Longstaff completed a century of competitive appearances for the club in all competitions, 82 of which have come in the PL (53 starts) and the remainder in the cups (11 FAC starts, 7 LC starts). Allan Saint-Maximin netted his twelfth PL goal - and a first from outside the box - as he ended his longest goalless league run for the club. ASM PL goals (figure in brackets is his PL appearance number) Dec 2019 Sheffield United (a) 15 mins won (11) Mar 2020 Southampton (a) 79 mins won (18) Jun 2020 Sheffield United (h) 55 mins won (19) Oct 2020 Burnley (h) 14 mins won (29) Feb 2021 Manchester United (a) 36 mins lost (41) Apr 2021 Burnley (a) 64 mins won (44) Aug 2021 Southampton (h) 90 mins (h) drew (54)* Sep 2021 Leeds United (h) 44 mins drew (56) Nov 2021 Brentford (h) 75 mins drew 63) Dec 2021 Man U (h) 7 mins drew (70) Jan 2022 Watford (h) 49 mins drew (71) Aug 2022 Wolves (a) 90 mins drew (90)* *Both ASM's 90th minute goals were scored on August 28th (2021 & 2022) Achieving the dozen takes ASM one ahead of team mate Jonjo Shelvey and level with Steven Taylor, Kevin Nolan and Ruel Fox. One more goal would see him match the total of fellow countryman Hatem Ben Arfa but he's still a fair way off our most prolific Frenchman, Laurent Robert and his tally of 22. Mags @ Molineux - last 10: 2022/23 Drew 1-1 Saint-Maximin (PL) 2021/22 Lost 1-2 Hendrick (PL) 2020/21 Drew 1-1 Murphy (PL) 2019/20 Drew 1-1 Almiron (PL) 2018/19 Drew 1-1 Hayden (PL) 2016/17 Won 1-0 Mitrovic (Ch) 2011/12 Won 2-1 Ba, Gutierrez (PL) 2010/11 Drew 1-1 Carroll (PL) 2003/04 Drew 1-1 Shearer (PL) 2002/03 Lost 2-3 Jenas, Shearer(pen) (FAC) Full record against Wolves:   P W D L F A SJP 46 24 12 10 100 58 M 47 7 14 26 46 87 League 93 31 26 36 146 145 SJP(FA) 2 0 2 0 3 3 M/H/LR 7 1 1 5 7 13 SJP(LC) 1 1 0 0 2 0 M 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cup 10 2 3 5 12 16 Tot 103 33 29 41 158 161

Waffle

Allan Saint-Maximin shrugged off a disappointing day by smashing in a last minute equaliser as Newcastle came from behind to claim a point at Molineux on Sunday.

Maxi's first goal since January maintained United's unbeaten start to the season in all competitions and left Wolves winless in their last 11 Premier League outings.

United just about deserved a point after improving on an awful first half, but a better second period that seemed to have brought no reward until Maxi's thunderbolt sent the away support into raptures.

A 38th minute drive from Ruben Neves divided the sides at the break and the hosts thought that they'd gone two goals ahead when Raul Jimenez netted on 82 minutes - only for VAR to save the blushes of referee Peter Bankes and his equally hopeless linesman by penalising a blatant shove by Neto on Ryan Fraser earlier in the move.

The belated introduction of Jacob Murphy and Elliot Anderson brought a renewal of United's efforts and in the last minute of normal time, the pair combined to leave Murphy in possession on the right of the Wolves area. He lost the ball but the clearance from Hee-Chan Hwang fell to Maxi just outside the box and his precisely-struck volley whizzed past Jose Sa.

There was still time for Anderson to hit the bar with a header and a free-kick deep in added time was sent wide by Fabian Schar, after Anderson was illegally halted.

The Swiss defender survived a possible red card VAR review following a strong tackle on Pedro Neto early in the second half - the officials perhaps disinclined to call the foul after a litany of invented ailments from home players interrupted play to a ludicrous extent all afternoon. 

Trippier was expected to take that late free kick, but stood aside in favour of Schar - an apparent hamstring issue seeing him pass up set pieces in the closing stages although remaining on the field.

Five games unbeaten then in league and cup this season for Eddie Howe's side, whose pre-game injury list had lengthened to include Jonjo Shelvey, Callum Wilson, Emil Krafth and Bruno Guimaraes (Alexander Isak was present, but ineligible to play).

That saw Chris Wood in from the start and Sean Longstaff paired with Joe Willock, while Dan Burn continued at left back as Matt Targett began on the bench but was called upon to relieve Burn, who looked glad to come off.

The lack of midfield penetration was in marked contrast to the memorable display against Manchester City a week earlier and it was difficult to see where a goal would come from for the away team.

ASM had a torrid time, spending most of the day on his backside moaning due to fouls or his own numerous errors and continually finding himself in cul de sacs until memorably leaving his mark. And it could have got even better in added time, after he waltzed forward and shot against Sa.

And while United were grateful to the VAR system on two occasions, a third incident was overlooked - a tug in the box by Matheus Nunes on Longstaff at 0-0 that wasn't reviewed as play continued.

Quite what Isak made of it all isn't known, but the point left United seventh in the table ahead of Wednesday's trip to Anfield, when he'll hopefully be able to lead the line.

Niall/Biffa