Bad-boy Mitrovic ends drought
NEWCASTLE boss Rafa Benitez took off Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic for his own protection after a stormy game that took the Magpies back to the top of the Championship.
Mitrovic was booked for a 14th-minute foul on Richard Stearman and then appeared to stamp on Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme’s heel 14 minutes later.
Wolves boss Paul Lambert was on his feet rowing with fourth official Mark Heywood and the Newcastle bench, but referee Craig Pawson was unmoved and Mitrovic stayed on the field.
While Ikeme was getting treatment, Mitrovic also hit the turf and didn’t come out for the second half, replaced by Christian Atsu.
But in the time he was on the pitch, Mitrovic caused havoc.
Newcastle’s 44th-minute winner was Mitrovic’s first goal for Newcastle in four months and his sixth in a season where Dwight Gayle’s scorching form has kept him out of the team.
Lambert also claimed there was an offside involved, never mind that Mitrovic should not have been on the field.
“I took Mitrovic off at halftime because of the pressure of the fans on top of him. It was important to protect him and protect the team,” said Benitez.
“I wanted to make sure we had 11 players on the pitch.”
Jonjo Shelvey’s free-kick brought a shot from Mohamed Diame as Wolves tried to clear and the ball deflected off Conor Coady. Jamaal Lascelles was offside but, by the letter of the law, was not involved in the play. But seconds later Lascelles was flicking a pass on to Mitrovic for him to drive in from a few yards out.
“To be honest with you I thought I might be offside and I just gave the ball a little flick,” admitted Lascelles.
Shelvey also took stick from the Wolves fans after being banned for five games and fined £100,000 for racially abusing Romain Saiss in a game earlier this season.
Wolves boss Lambert had no doubt that Mitrovic should have been red carded,
“It was the referee’s call but I know from being an ex-player, when you have been yellow carded and you raise your studs, you are in danger, no matter what league you are in or what division you are in,” said Lambert.
“It’s danger as soon as you raise your studs.
“I think Rafa realised it and took Mitrovic off at half-time.
“For the goal, the lad (Lascelles) was offside. So they made two big moments. The referee calls it the way he sees it.”
To the point of Newcastle’s goal they had done little to suggest they would climb back to the top of the table.
Brighton’s big win over Burton earlier in the day had put pressure on Newcastle to come up with three points.
But apart from a chance that Ikeme dealt with at Jack Colback’s feet, Wolves were more dangerous in the first half.
There were chances for Nouha Dicko when he volleyed a 20th-minute Andi Weimann cross into the ground and for Richard Stearman when he shot over following Dave Edwards’ head on from Helder Costa’s cross.
Wolves’ immediate secondhalf reaction to Mitrovic’s goal was for Edwards to head wide from Costa’s cross in the 49th minute, but they couldn’t break through.