Miguel Almiron came off the bench to re-ignite Newcastle’s charge for Europe as he snatched a hard-fought Premier League victory over Wolves.
The Paraguay international’s 79th-minute strike clinched a 2-1 win, but only after the visitors had dragged themselves back into a full-blooded encounter when substitute Hwang Hee-chan had cancelled out Alexander Isak’s first-half opener on an eventful afternoon at St James’ Park.
Julen Lopetegui’s men were convinced Magpies keeper Nick Pope should have picked up a second red card in three games after a clumsy first-half challenge on Raul Jimenez before Almiron’s 11th goal of the season rubbed salt into the wound.
It was just a second win in nine league outings for Newcastle, who ended a run of five games without a victory in all competitions to climb above Liverpool into fifth place.