One by one, Eddie Howe ran through the list of substitutes who played their parts in a comeback. Matt Ritchie, Matt Targett, Ryan Fraser, Jacob Murphy and Elliot Anderson. Four have been stalwarts of Championship teams. The youngster Anderson, meanwhile, brimmed with promise on just his second Premier League outing but most of his first-team football has come in League Two.
A couple of minutes earlier, Howe had been discussing Alexander Isak, the £60 million signing who has attracted comparisons with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swede was the most expensive spectator at Molineux as Newcastle drew with a cast list shorn of some of the glamour belatedly brought to St James’ Park. Arguably, Howe has made three statement signings and two – Isak and Bruno Guimaraes – did not feature against Wolves.
