What Bruno Lage must remember about Newcastle United after 'lucky' jibe

In the final minute of normal time at Molineux yesterday, a looping, sliced clearance from Hwang Hee-chan dropped for Allan Saint-Maximin just outside the box.

Saint-Maximin – who had set up three goals a week earlier – reacted quickest. The winger angled his body, and struck a first-time volley with his right foot.

Jose Sa, the Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper, barely moved.

“It was an incredible finish from Allan,” said Eddie Howe after the 1-1 draw. “He’s so unpredictable, fair play. What a finish and technique.”

Lage, however, had a different assessment of the strike.

“The goal was an unlucky moment for us, I think it was a lucky moment for Newcastle, so it's a 1-1 point for us,” who felt that United defender Fabian Schar should have been sent off for a late challenge on Pedro Neto.

Schar could well have gone for that challenge, but Newcastle could easily have had a first-half penalty when Sean Longstaff, making his 100th appearance for the club, had his shirt pulled.

United were also unfortunate not to have new signing Alexander Isak available for the game.

Isak, waiting for his work permit following his club-record £60million move to St James’s Park, travelled to Molineux with his team-mates.

Howe felt that the game would have been an eye-opener for the 22-year-old.

“If I’m looking at it through his eyes, I would be excited looking at the team – and how many chances we could create for him,” said Howe.

“I’d also realise I’d have to contribute to the team in a physical way, because that game was brutal.”

Without Callum Wilson, United, not surprisingly, lacking a cutting edge, but they had a good 10-minute spell in the first half where they attacked with pace and purpose, and they responded well to going behind before the break.

“I thought, first-half, we had the chance, I felt, to really control and dominate that game,” said Howe, who was also without influential midfielder Bruno Guimaraes because of an injury. “I felt we just let it slip away from us, that control.

“Credit to Wolves, I think they’ve got very good players, but I felt it was a probably more self-induced lack of control. I was very, very pleased with the second period.

“We made better decisions on the ball, probed better around their box and, ultimately, ended up getting our rewards for that.”

The fact that United, without so many players, took a point home bodes well for the coming months.

And Howe has Isak to throw into the mix.

“Strikers are always judged on their goal output and creativity,” said Howe. “We hope he makes a difference when he plays.

“He’s a linker of play as well, and isn’t just a goalscorer. He’ll contribute in all the aspects of our build-up play. That’s why I’m excited for what he can do to the team.”

There’s more to come from this team. In the meantime, and Lage must remember this, they’re making their own luck.