WOLVERHAMPTON: Newcastle United fought back from a halftime deficit with two long-range strikes in the space of five minutes to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 at Molineux on Sunday and move into third place in the Premier League.
Fabian Schar's speculative effort took a deflection to draw Newcastle level after Wolves captain Mario Lemina's 36th-minute goal had put the hosts ahead at the break as they chased a first league success of the season.
But while there might have been an element of fortune about Schar's 75th-minute goal, there was no luck involved as Harvey Barnes thrashed home a spectacular winner five minutes later.
Both efforts came from outside the penalty area and dramatically turned around the outcome after struggling Wolves had dominated most of the encounter.
Wolves remain in the bottom three with a single point from their opening four fixtures of the campaign.
Newcastle advanced to 10 points, behind second placed Arsenal on goal difference and two behind Manchester City.
The visitors began the encounter strongly and saw Anthony Gordon speed down the left flank before hitting the upright with an effort from a tight angle in the 24th minute.
But it proved the catalyst for Wolves to wrestle control of the game and go ahead after Jorgen Strand Larsen had broken on the counter attack, hit a square ball across the Newcastle goalmouth that Joao Gomes generously dummied to allow Lemina a simple tap-in.
Strand Larsen was inches away from doubling the hosts' lead eight minutes into the second half but hit the bottom of the upright with his effort, while Newcastle's goalkeeper Nick Pope made two important saves before the match turned on its head.
Schar hit his shot from well outside the box, but it caught the top of the head of Wolves defender Craig Dawson and flew past Sam Johnstone and into the top corner for the equaliser.
Swiss international Schar was back in the side after a three-match suspension, having been sent off on the opening day of the campaign against Southampton.
Barnes, who struggled last season with a foot injury, then made room for himself by accelerating inside from the left before firing off a driving effort to score a sumptuous winner.
"When you're coming on and the team's behind and they need a goal, you have to take it upon yourself as an attacking player to try and change the game," said Barnes.
Pope's full length dive to deny Matheus Cunha in stoppage time kept unbeaten Newcastle's lead intact as they made it three wins from four matches.
"We need to change this losing mentality and get back to work and win games now," said Lemina with Wolves away at Aston Villa in their next league game on Saturday. - REUTERS