That's more encouraging for West Brom as Conor Gallagher gets away from his marker and tries to pick out a team-mate but it's too close to Karl Darlow who gathers.

Callum Wilson fancies this against a brittle West Brom defence. Nice pass by Jonjo Shelvey and the forward threatens to bulldoze his way through before running into one green and yellow shirt too many.

Mike Hall: 4-4, definitely! West Brom happy to escape with a point and the sniffles.

Evan Pritchard: Take THAT, COVID !

West Brom win a free kick about 35 yards out and it's curled towards the penalty are but Newcastle clear. Slaven Bilic is ashen-faced. That is the worst possible start for a team desperate for points.

Garth Crooks
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker on Final Score

It is an awful start for West Brom. The last thing Slaven Bilic would have said was start quickly, let's settle down and keep a clean sheet but they are 1-0 down before they have had time to breathe.

West Brom will need to show a bit of character now.

Rob Green
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

What an incredible start - it's come from West Brom kick-off. They lost the ball and Newcastle have broken and the physical nature of Callum Wilson. He brushes Branislav Ivanovic off the ball and a combination round the edge of the box who slide it through to Miguel Almiron who tucks it home so neatly and coolly as you like.

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

Ultimately you can't blame luck for repeated results you've got to take hold of your own destiny. Slaven Bilic is having an issue right now that he wants to pick the same team and I think he's trying to.

But how long do you stick with something that's not working?

West Brom can't moan about VAR for that. No one was picking Almiron up.

It's the Baggies who get the ball rolling.

Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa & Man Utd striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Newcastle have got to go at it today and make it very uncomfortable for West Brom. This is St James' Park it should be a difficult place to come at any time at all. They can get themselves onto 17 points if they win, yes there's lots of games left in the season but what a good start to the season for Steve Bruce.

The hierarchy of Newcastle have had a barrage of abuse over the years but to get Steve Bruce in I think is a very, very shrewd appointment.

The teams are out and Slaven Bilic - smart jacket and shirt - takes his seat in the dug out. The Baggies are in their green and yellow changed strip. Belting kit.

Newcastle: Darlow, Krafth, Hayden, Clark, Lewis, Ritchie, S Longstaff, Shelvey, Almiron, Wilson, Joelinton.

Substitutes: M Longstaff, Carroll, Gayle, Hendrick, Yedlin, Murphy, Langley.

West Brom: Johnstone, Ajayi, Ivanovic, O'Shea, Furlong, Gallagher, Sawyers, Phillips, Krovinovic, Grant, Robinson.

Subs: Gibbs, Livermore, Diangana, Grosicki, Austin, Kipre, Button.

Referee: Darren England (South Yorkshire)

Fighting talk from the Baggies boss.

West Bromwich Albion

West Brom manager Slaven Bilic: "I don’t let speculation affect my work. I know I can’t live on my past. Do we want more points? Yes. There have been mistakes, but there have also been horrible decisions from VAR. We are not down in the gutter, we are only a couple of points from where we want to be. We are alive, motivated and very positive."

Newcastle United

Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce: "Last Monday I didn’t think this team would be possible. We’ve had a good week. Closing the place down was the big decision we made and that helped us enormously. We have to focus on today and not make an excuse. We have a decent-looking team out.

"Dwight Gayle can count himself really unlucky, he got injured in a pre-season game. It’s always good to see him in and around the box, so we’re delighted to see him back.

"It would be a great start to December if we can build on that win at Crystal Palace. We all know Christmas is a big time. If we can get off to a decent start, that would be great."

Wolves

Wolves defender Conor Coady: "It is tough. We shouldn't lose it. You can't come away with zero points. I thought the game was quite even, we probably shaded it. Soft penalties get given. It is what it is. We need to cut the mistakes out.

"You can see we are trying to evolve and find ways to hurt the opposition. We need to move on now. We can't make a habit of coming away with zero points from games like that.

"It is still early. We are listening to the manager every day and we need to learn quickly. This is a tough league.

"I thought we had a reaction today to Liverpool last week. We conceded from a penalty. I don't think they did much to hurt us."

Image source, Rex Features

West Brom are seeking a first Premier League away win since April 2018 when Matt Phillips scored the only goal of the game - at Newcastle.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith: "I wouldn't mind the job at Stockley Park, with my slippers on like they seem to have there.

"I am pleased with the start we have had, this was a tough game and we deserved a point but kept competing and got the win.

"There was only the Leeds game that we deserved to get beaten this season. Ten games in this season and if you deserve to get something out of nine, you are doing well."

Some great quotes from Dean Smith coming right up.