Up Next: An Unstoppable Force Meets A New Manager Bounce - It's Wolves

Newcastle's hectic January continues with a return to St James' Park, and a first home league match since Boxing Day with the arrival of Wolves

It's a good time to be a Newcastle fan. Eight victories on the bounce in all competitions, including five straight league wins. A two-goal advantage going into the second leg of the Carabao Cup Semi-final. Alexander Isak is on the verge of making history with goals in seven consecutive Premier League games; a feat matched only by the great Alan Shearer and (somewhat surprisingly) Joe Willock. No Toon player has ever made it eight games in a row. The league record is currently Jamie Vardy with ten. And if Isak can shake off the niggly injury that prompted his early substitution at Arsenal last week, the signs look good to continue the streak against Wolves. Isak has scored in both his previous league appearances against tonight's opponents.

One must beware of hubris... all good things come to an end...

It would be very 'Newcastle' to beat the likes of Manchester United, Spurs and Arsenal in their own backyards, as well as hammering European hopefuls Villa 3-0... only to fluff their lines against the likes of Wolves.

We've already seen it this season from Eddie Howe's men at SJP against West Ham and Brighton; when a team comes to Newcastle with a low-block and quality up top, the Magpies have been found wanting.

Buoyed by the arrival of new head coach Vitor Pereira, Wolves made a flying resurgence with impressive shut-out victories against Leicester and Manchester United, as well as a late equaliser at Spurs, before crashing slightly down to Earth with a 3-0 reverse at home to high-fliers Nottingham Forest. Fingers crossed the new manager bounce has been categorically burst, and (like Forest) Newcastle can continue their impressive streak without a hiccup.

Still, Hwang Hee-chan boasts an incredible goalscoring record against Newcastle; with four goals in six games; while Matheus Cunha has been a revelation this season with ten goals in just nineteen league apps. Newcastle have enjoyed some fortuitous injury and timely suspension boosts against opposition this season, but no such luck with the Brazilian following the conclusion of the striker's strangely brief two-game ban for nabbing an opposition coach's glasses during a post-match fracas. Still, you'd hope the imperious form of Newcastle's backline can keep the lively Brazilian quiet.

Lewis Miley handed Eddie Howe a timely reminder of his qualities as Newcastle continue to navigate a busy month...

While we don't expect Howe to make any wholesale changes from the impressive victory at the Emirates eight days ago, a couple of youngsters reminded Howe that they are raring to go following impressive performances in the FA Cup weekend.

Lewis Miley put in a man-of-the-match performance against Bromley, and while the 18 year-old will face tougher tests in his career, the way he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, dictated the play with some neat touches, and scored an absolute rip-roaring equaliser, the dynamic teenager perhaps offers some respite to Sandro Tonali in games where we need to save the Italian's legs.

Another youngster that did his first team chances no harm was Will Osula; who showcased his willingness to chase down every ball, provide openings for willing runners with his battering-ram approach, and even perhaps his potential as a right winger. The forward's pace, glittering step-overs and unstoppable finish on his weaker foot highlighted his suitability to running the channels, chasing lost causes, and giving Eddie Howe's men a different dimension up top alongside the finesse and coolness of Alexander Isak. The Swede featured alongside Callum Wilson up top at times in the Magpies' Champions League-chasing season, perhaps we could see two strikers complementing each other up top again this season?

We know winning streaks never last forever but we're optimistic here...

All in all, tonight's fixture offers a fantastic opportunity to continue some incredible hot-streaks for the team and individuals alike, while also putting to bed some of the anxiety about recent home fixtures against underdogs. It's fine regularly taking points off the Super League Six; but stumble at home against the lower teams, and it could prove to be a futile pursuit for Champions League football again.

A win tonight takes us into the Top Four and above Chelsea, who were an incredible ten points clear of us just last month. What a difference a few weeks makes...

Those Chelsea fans claiming Nicolas Jackson was a better striker than Alexander Isak have gone very quiet recently... I wonder why...