As the records start to tumble at Newcastle United, and their irresistible charge up the Premier League table continues, it is time to ponder whether Eddie Howe’s side are now title contenders?

They are of course outsiders. They are nine points behind leaders Liverpool and have played a game more than Arne Slot’s side. The gap is large enough to suspect it is insurmountable. Liverpool are not showing obvious signs of feeling the strain or wilting after so long as pace setters.

Yet, nobody is in better form than Newcastle, no team has a better blend of power, pace and skill in midfield , and nobody has a better striker than Alexander Isak.

Nobody will be taking title talk seriously on Tyneside. Not at the moment. This is a club that has not won a trophy since 1969 and has not competed for a Premier League title in more than 20 years. But when you are breaking records with the frequency Newcastle are, anything starts to seem attainable.

“I’ve always said anything is possible,” said Howe. “There has to be more to come, that is the challenge we are posing to the players. We want them to keep dreaming, I have no issue with that.

“But we have to keep improving, we have to find the extra gears to keep this run going because tonight wasn’t perfect, we didn’t play as well as we can, the last 20 minutes were not good.

“It always feels good to be Newcastle United manager, but especially at times like this. But the challenges will only become greater, they will get harder.

“I’m not worried about the teams around us, it’s not about sending any sort of message, we just focus on ourselves. But it is a great place to be when you have not played well and you win 3-0.”

Certainly a return to the Champions League has become a realistic target which would be another brilliant achievement for a team that looks like it will go a third transfer window without signing a player to improve the starting XI.

And, who knows, if they maintain this run, continue to grind out wins when they cannot blow teams away, anything could happen.

Without the same fanfare and praise that has been showered on this season’s surprise package, Nottingham Forest, Howe’s ruthless team have moved ahead of Chelsea into fourth.

They are just three points behind Forest, who they defeated away from home, and are playing with the confidence that tends to breed the sort of good fortune they had against Wolves.

The point is this: if Slot has warned Manchester City are not out of the title race, surely Newcastle are in it too given they are two places higher and three points better off than the reigning champions.

This comfortable victory was Newcastle’s ninth in a row, equalling a club record set by Kevin Keegan in 1994 and last matched in 2016.

Bournemouth are the next visitors to St James’ Park on Saturday, dangerous opponents. Newcastle will have to be better than they were here, there was sloppiness in this performance.

Wolves hit the woodwork twice and had more chances than most teams have created against Eddie Howe’s men during this spectacular run, but Newcastle were still too good, too strong and too clinical with Isak in attack.

We are running out of ways to praise the Sweden international. He is about as close as you can get to unstoppable at the moment.

He has scored 17 goals in 21 games, including 12 in his last 10. Isak claimed another two against Wolves and in the process, broke a club record he previously shared with Alan Shearer and Joe Willock, by scoring in eight consecutive matches.

When he is not scoring, Isak is assisting, Newcastle’s third coming when he once again pulled the Wolves defence apart with his speed and skill, squaring for Anthony Gordon to sweep home from the middle of the area.

As for Wolves, this was a performance that on one hand bodes well, but also pointed at problems too. They created more goalscoring opportunities than most will do at St James’ Park, but some poor finishing and bad luck denied them a goal.

Survival is achievable, but manager Vitor Pereira has much work to do. He revealed after the game that Mario Lemina, who is trying to leave the club this month, had refused to travel to the North East to be part of the squad.

It is the sort of distraction no manager needs but whether the player can force his way out before the deadline remains to be seen.

09:48 PM GMT

Match report from Goodison

David Moyes was granted a Goodison Park guard of honour when he left Everton to become Manchester United manager. He deserves to be carried into the new stadium in a Sedan Chair if he can keep this team in the Premier League.

Aston Villa ruined the homecoming courtesy of Ollie Watkins’ winner, leaving Everton sweating on the results of those below. For a successive season, their best hope of survival may be that there are three worse teams in the league.

Villa were worth their victory, which would have been greater had they taken first half chances. Their keeper Emiliano Martinez was barely used as Everton’s obvious flaws were exposed ...

Click here to read: David Moyes makes unhappy return 

09:34 PM GMT

Results

Everton 0 Aston Villa 1 
Leicester 0 Crystal Palace 2 
Newcastle 3 Wolves 0.

You can find the full table here but the breaking news is that Newcastle are up to fourth, a point ahead of Chelsea.

At the bottom Wolves drop back into the bottom three on 16 points with Ipswich who are two goals better off. Leicester are still only two points off 17th and Everton are three points ahead of them in 16th. Villa go up to seventh and Palace leapfrog Man Utd to climb to 14th.

09:30 PM GMT

All over at St James’ Park, too

Newcastle 3 Wolves 0. The visitors created chances in the first half but their defending fell apart and Isak was simply too clinical for them. Nine wins in a row in all competitions for Newcastle.

09:27 PM GMT

Full time at King Power Stadium

Leicester 0 Crystal Palace 2  Again, Leicester need an injection of attacking quality and defensive steel. They have plenty of players but not enough of the required standard. Palace played well and this formation with three at the back, even without Chalobah, suits them

09:24 PM GMT

Full time at Goodison Park

It ends Everton 0 Aston Villa 1.

Everton need three maybe four players. They were better after the changes Moyes made and when they went direct but there was an air of desperation about it. They’ll probably be fine in the medium term but it’s pretty thin gruel with the talent in the squad.

09:22 PM GMT

Calvert-Lewin misses late chance

Kamara gets his body in the way of Mangala’s shot that loops into Martinez’s hands. From his punt, Everton come back with a long ball that Mings heads to the right of Everton’s attack and Lindstrom feeds in a low near-post cross that bobbles a little and Calvert-Lewin spoons his half-volley over from about seven yards.

09:19 PM GMT

Everton have four minutes of stoppage time to find an equaliser

And understandably they’re going direct. Mykolenko whips a cross into the box that Konsa heads out. Then Kinsa alos blocks Calvert-Lewin’s follow-up shot.

09:17 PM GMT

Patson Daka comes close

But he twisted his header just over the bar. Leicester could do with a central defender and a striker but how much leeway there is in the finances, I do not know. Not much, I’m sure.

09:15 PM GMT

Everton are trying to rain in crosses

But Villa are defending them well and, in any case, Duncan Fergsuon has been retired for 19 years and Marouane Fellaini for 12 months.

09:12 PM GMT

No goal!

VAR strikes off Bueno’s goal for Wolves from a corner which struck his hand inadvertently before dropping for him to smash in from a couple of yards. Newcastle preserve their clean sheet.

09:10 PM GMT

GOAL!

Leicester 0 Crystal Palace 2 (Guehi)  Free-kick finds the Palace captain in the box and he lashes a shot past the keeper. Unstoppable.

09:04 PM GMT

GOAL!

Newcastle 3 Wolves 0 (Gordon) The goal stands after a VAR check. It was a goal on the break, Joelinton sweeping the ball out to the right to Isak who had two bites at the cross, the first rebounding back to him and so he put the second on a plate for Gordon to turn in from 12 yards in the middle of the box. Isak was a toenail onside when picked out by Joelinton.

09:03 PM GMT

Leicester have been better since the changes

And Soumare relocates Oliver Glasner’s heart 18 inchesnorth into his mouth by crashing an effort into the crossbar.

09:02 PM GMT

Everton look to set-piece salvation

Ndiaye keeps at Cash tenaciously until he earns his side a corner. Tarkowski and Branthwaite come up and somehow Villa, who make a mess of defending the deep cross, scramble it away at the back post with a good block and another lucky one. When the ball is sent back into the box by Young Branthwaite falls as he hits a left-foot half volley over the bar.

09:00 PM GMT

Van Nistelrooy rolls the dice

They look dooomed but even so Van Nistelrooy has to keep striving for alchemy, sending on Patson Daka, Oliver Skipp and Kasey McAteer for Winks, Buonanotte and El Kahnouss.

08:58 PM GMT

Cunha bears down on goal

Lung-bursting run from Matheus Cunha pounding 60 yards down the right but he can only wallop his shot into the crowd as he couldn’t quite cut inside Hall and Burn to broaden the angle.

A moment before Bruno had skyed a long-rage effort and a moment after Joelinton rather casually tried to flick in a right-wing cross and nonchalantly hit a defender.

08:52 PM GMT

Never mind the finish, watch the assist

08:47 PM GMT

GOAL!

Newcastle 2 Wolves 0 (Isak) It’s that man again. Another assist for Bruno as Newcastle mug Wolves from a corner, catching them asleep as Isak lurked by the spot and played onside by dozing defenders.

08:47 PM GMT

GOAL!

Leicester 0 Palace 1 (Mateta) Makes up for his earlier aberration when one-on-one with the keeper and Leicester are staring down the barrel of a sixth successive league defeat.

08:42 PM GMT

Record breaker

08:38 PM GMT

GOAL!

Everton 0 Aston Villa 1 (Watkins)  Terrific pass from Rogers and a neat finish with Pickford scrambling out of his goal in vain.

08:36 PM GMT

Substitution for Wolves

Matheus Cunha is on for Hwang.

At Goodison Park Ramsey wastes a decent chance for Villa and up the other end Calvert-Lewin and Mings are in a race towards the box to reach a long pass upfield and Mings trips himself up, stumbles and Calvert-Lewin tumbles over him. The ref waves play on.

08:25 PM GMT

Half-time scores

Everton 0 Aston Villa 0
Leicester 0 Crystal Palace 0
Newcastle 1 Wolves 0

Arsenal 0 Tottenham 0 (24 mins in). Follow that game here.

08:23 PM GMT

Air of inevitability

08:21 PM GMT

Half-time at St James’ Park

It ended with Tonali almost emulating Isak by scoring with a deflected shot but his pin-balled off a defender’s leg and thumped into the hoardings behind. That sound was swiftly followed by three blasts of the Acme Thunderer.

08:18 PM GMT

Palace have a late chance

But Will Hughes pokes his shot over from the 18-yard line.

08:17 PM GMT

Mings clears off the line

From Calvert-Lewin who shimmied to beat Martinez and poke a shot through him but the centre-back was there to clear it and then on the stroke of half-time Rogers shoots wide from 15 yards with his left. It seemed to be bending in but actually faded past the outside of the left post.

08:15 PM GMT

Big chance for Wolves

Guedes pounces after Hall slips and glides towards the box to ping a daisycutter pass to Strand Larsen who tries to divert it with his left such was the speed it was more of a touch than a shot and it clips the outside of the left post.

08:13 PM GMT

At Leicester

James Justin, who scored twice at the Emirates back in September has just called first dibs on a free-kick and fizzes it just the wrong side of the post.

08:10 PM GMT

Emery protests

08:05 PM GMT

GOAL!

Newcastle 1 Wolves 0 (Isak) Isak makes 30 yards running down the left, cuts in and benefits from a flukey one-two off Joao Gomes as he approaches the D. he traps the ricochet and wraps his instep around a sizzling shot that Ait-Nouri tries to block but spins off his toe and loops into the bottom left with Sa going the other way. It;s his 11th goal since the beginning of December.

08:05 PM GMT

Isak edges closer

Bruno has this uncanny ability to find Isak and this time does so with a glorious diagonal pass from the right to the left of the box as the centre-forward ghosts between Doherty and Bueno. Isak tries to do Sa with the eyes and  hook his foot round to diddle him at the near post but whistles it into the hoardings, inches wide of the left post.

08:01 PM GMT

Oh Mateta

Through one on one with the keeper and barely 12 yards out he blazes his shot over the bar. Stolarczyk cannot believe his luck.

07:58 PM GMT

Calvert-Lewin misses

Moyes bends his wrists with both palms facing down in a rather quaint show of dismay when Calvert-Lewin drags a left-foot shot from 22 yards a few inches wide. He had more time and could have gone further into the box but snatched at it.

07:56 PM GMT

Sa saves from Gordon

Great save from a shot hit through the legs of a defender from the right and he managed to swoop when the ball dipped to claw it away with a strong wrist. The crowd is roaring Newcastle on as they keep pouring forward. And Wolves respond on the counter to create a ding-dong battle.

07:54 PM GMT

No early goals in any of the early kick-offs

Wolves are defending very stoutly against Newcastle and Doherty, who I thought was finished, has just tackled Gordon in the box smartly after the England winger snaked his way forward on a sinuous 40-yard dribble.

07:52 PM GMT

At the King Power

Dean Henderson makes a sensational save to stop Vardy from close range and moments later Palace’s Lerma is down and signalling that he cannot continue. Doucoure is summoned to replace him.

07:49 PM GMT

Watkins squanders chance

Terrible back pass from Young sends Watkins through on Pickford who races out to close him down but he still has time to let fly and rakes his shot across the advancing keeper and out of play by the right post.

07:46 PM GMT

Everton free-kick

Gueye shanks his volley from 22 yards set up by Mings’ defensive header off a defender and out for a corner that Mings again heads out.

07:45 PM GMT

Wolves on the counter

Hwang and Guedes are playing well for Wolves and Guedes has twice been played in for a shot on the counter-attack but he can’t find the precision needed to trouble Dubravka.

Wolves are well organised in their low block.

07:43 PM GMT

At St James’ Park

Murphy is through down the right of the box but dithers over a shot, takes an extra touch and narrows the angle so drastically that he has to cross... to an old gold shirt.

Moments later Bruno slides a pass down the inside-left channel that just skips away from Isak.

07:42 PM GMT

Hope for the home side

07:40 PM GMT

All Villa so far

Excellent sliding block from Tarkowski to thwart Tielemans. Villa are cutting through Everton’s midfield with ease but Onana, on his return to Goodison, catches Gueye high on the ankle and is booked. Everton can’t keep hold of the ball.

07:36 PM GMT

Pickford in action

Rogers wraps his right instep around a shot from 20 yards and Pickford is smartly down to his left to turn it behind for a corner which Trakowski heads behind for another. This one is properly cleared by Harrison.

07:33 PM GMT

Tonight’s first three matches have kicked off

07:30 PM GMT

Moyes steps on to the pitch after coming out of the tunnel

And gives the crowd a wave, one hand held high. He is dressed in black. Isn’t everyone these days? Seems to suit the mood. We’re all Jonny Nice Painter or Johnny Cash.

07:27 PM GMT

The sirens sound at Goodison

And the theme from Z Cars welcomes David Moyes home. Will they take it to Bramley-Moor Dock with them? I hope so. Can’t be leaving it for Watford.

07:23 PM GMT

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07:17 PM GMT

Moyes has always been able to evolve, so do not write him off at Everton

David Moyes took over at Everton in March 2002 with a squad populated by some famous old names unwilling to change and a team plummeting down the Premier League – so something had to give.

Moyes, then just 39, fresh from four years at Preston North End, implemented double training sessions immediately. Paul Gascoigne, then 34, departed shortly afterwards. David Ginola, then 35, who had signed the month before Moyes arrived, made only one further substitute’s appearance and retired at the end of the season. Yet other experienced players like Kevin Campbell, then 32 and the club captain – who passed away last year – thrived under Moyes. Duncan Ferguson, then 31, played more games per season under Moyes than he had under his predecessor, Walter Smith.

To read more from our chief football writer Sam Wallace, click here.

07:09 PM GMT

David Moyes talks to TNT Sports

07:07 PM GMT

Tonight’s fixtures

Everton vs Aston Villa 7.30pm

Leicester vs Crystal Palace 7.30pm

Newcastle vs Wolves 7.30pm

Arsenal vs Tottenham 8pm

Last night’s results

Brentford 2-2 Manchester City

Chelsea 2-2 Bournemouth

West Ham 3-2 Fulham

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Liverpool

If you want to follow the North London Derby, join Kieran Crichard here.

06:50 PM GMT

And now for those of you watching in black and white

Everton: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Mangala, Gueye, Doucouré; Harrison, Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin.
Substitutes: Virginia, Begovic, Patterson, Keane, Beto, O’Brien, Lindstrom, Armstrong, Sherif.

Aston Villa: Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Onana, Tielemans; Rogers, Ramsey, Watkins.
Substitutes: Gauci, Olsen, Dúran, Buendia, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey, Jimoh.

Referee: Sam Barrott (West Yorkshire)

Newcastle: Dubravka; Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon. 
Substitutes: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Krafth, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, Miley.

Wolverhampton: Jose Sa; Doherty, Bueno, Agbadou; Rodrigo Gomes, Andre Trindade, Joao Gomes, Ait Nouri; Goncalo Guedes, Hwang; Larsen. 
Substitutes: Johnstone, Cunha, Dawson, Doyle, Sarabia, Nelson Semedo, Forbs, Bellegarde, Pedro Lima.

Referee: Darren England (South Yorkshire)

Leicester: Stolarczyk; Justin, Faes, Vestergaard, Kristiansen; Soumare, Winks; Buonanotte, El Khannous, Mavididi; Vardy. 
Substitutes: Iversen, Coady, De Cordova-Reid, Choudhury, Ayew, Daka, Skipp, Thomas, McAteer.

Crystal Palace: Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta. 
Substitutes: Turner, Nketiah, Schlupp, Clyne, Kamada, Doucoure, Riad, Devenny, Kporha. 

Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)

Yorkshire seems to be for refereeing what Chesterfield once was for goalkeepers.

06:38 PM GMT

Palace make one change from the side that drew 1-1 with Chelsea

Hughes comes in for Doucoure:

06:36 PM GMT

Leicester make three changes

Having lost their fifth PL match in succession, they hammered QPR in the Cup 6-2 but have brought in Faes, Kristiansen and Buonanotte to the starting XI and left out Coady, Thomas and Ayew from the side that started the 2-1 defeat by Villa.

06:31 PM GMT

Agbadou makes league debut

Wolves, who have seven points from four games under Vitor Pereira, give a Premier league debut to new signing Emmanuel Agbadou who cane for £16.6 million from Rennes:

06:28 PM GMT

Newcastle unchanged

From their last Premier League fixture, that is, which was the 2-1 victory at Spurs. They’ve racked up two more wins with changed sides since, beating Arsenal in the League Cup semi, first leg, and Bromley in the FA Cup:

06:24 PM GMT

Emery makes three changes

From their last PL game against Leicester – out go Bailey, McGinn and Barkley for Ramsey, Onana and Rogers.

06:21 PM GMT

Second coming, first XI

David Moyes has made two changes to the team picked by Sean Dyche that lost 1-0 at home to Bournemouth – Calvert-Lewin replaces the injured Broja and Harrison comes in for Lindstrom.

06:17 PM GMT

Preview: All eyes on the Moyesiah

By Kieran Crichard

We had four thrilling Premier League fixtures last night and we are treated to four more games tonight. At Goodison Park, Everton host Aston Villa with a new, familiar manager in the home dugout. Eleven and a half years after swapping Everton for Manchester United, David Moyes is back at Goodison Park and he takes over a side just two places and one point above the relegation zone. Sean Dyche departed Everton just hours before their 2-0 FA Cup victory over Peterborough last Thursday. At Villa Park back in September Everton went 2-0 up in the reverse fixture but Aston Villa came all the way back to win 3-2. Like Everton, Aston Villa booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round as they came from behind to beat West Ham 2-1. Unai Emery’s side begin the night in eighth place, five points off the top four.

Leicester take on Crystal Palace at the King Power Stadium. The hosts sit second bottom in the Premier League, two points from safety, whilst the visitors are in 15^th, five points above the relegation zone. The reverse fixture at Selhurst Park earlier in the season ended in a 2-2 draw. In the FA Cup third round Leicester beat QPR 6-2 whilst Crystal Palace edged past Stockport County 1-0.

At St. James’ Park Newcastle, who sit in fifth place, are taking on 17^th-place Wolves. Eddie Howe’s side have the opportunity to move into the top four with a victory tonight. They are unbeaten in their last eight games in all competitions. Since Vitor Pereira took over at Wolves in mid-December, he has won two, lost one and drawn one of his first four league games in charge. Last September at Molineux Wolves took the lead but Newcastle fought back with two second-half goals to win 2-1.

In the later kick-off the Emirates plays host to the north London derby as Arsenal host Tottenham. Arsenal sit in third place, with the opportunity to move into second place and close the gap to league leader Liverpool to four points having played a game more. Meanwhile Tottenham are down in 13^th, 16 points behind their north London rivals. In the reverse fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in September, Arsenal were the victors winning 1-0 thanks to Gabriel Magalhaes’ goal. Last weekend, Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United on penalties despite playing against 10 men for the final half hour of normal time and the entirety of extra time. Tottenham were taken to extra time by National League Tamworth but came through 3-0 winners in the end.

Stay with us for all the action from Wednesday night Premier League football. We had 15 goals in four games last night. How many will we get tonight?