VAR checked if Sa had made adequate contact, after an earlier review had denied Wood in the first half, when he saw a goal chalked off because team-mate Bruno Guimaraes was narrowly offside in the build-up.

Wolves failed to touch the ball in the Newcastle area in a dire opening half and manager Bruno Lage will wonder why it took until the 80th minute for his side to work home keeper Martin Dubravka when Fabio Silva forced a diving save.

Newcastle - who saw Allan Saint-Maximin fire over the bar before Wood's goal and Guimaraes go close to adding a second - thoroughly deserved to end a run of three straight defeats with this win.

It moves them 10 points clear of the relegation zone - though 18th-placed Burnley have two games in hand - while Wolves stay eighth and lose crucial ground in their push for a Europa League spot.

"It has put us in a stronger position but I still think we have work to do," boss Eddie Howe told BBC Sport. "The home games are key for us but we want to pick up points wherever we go.

"At this stage of the season, it is about results. We are well aware we need to continue to get points. I think it's results over performances at the moment. There will be a time when we can evolve."

Sloppy Wolves let Newcastle profit

Wood's finish (left) sealed Newcastle's fourth win in a row at home

Howe had reason to be ecstatic, having taken over a side who were 19th in the table and five points from safety in November.

The Newcastle boss has a quote which reads "make each day your masterpiece" on a wall in his office. This display was by no means joyful or pretty in its crafting, but it was one where Newcastle were always the likelier winners thanks to their consistent effort and sporadic quality across the 90 minutes.

Wolves were fortunate when VAR chalked off Wood's close-range finish in the first half. Guimaraes raced on to a superb flick by substitute Miguel Almiron - on for the injured Ryan Fraser - and was fractionally offside.

In the aftermath, Wolves captain Conor Coady could be seen screaming at team-mates in a bid to rise some kind of energy and application.

It never really arrived and, gradually, the home side started to create half-chances after the break until Saint-Maximin and Joelinton combined to send Wood clear in the game's key moment.

Guimaraes celebrated Newcastle's goal with a fan and offered a rounded performance. The January signing completed 90% of his passes, won four tackles - more than any player on the pitch - and drew five fouls.

Wood's finish ensured Newcastle beat a side in the top half of the table for the first time this season and also carried them to a fourth successive home win - their best run since March 2019.

Lage was left wondering how his side - with eight away wins to their name this season - could be so poor, particularly in the first half.

"In the second half we had clearer ideas," said Lage. "The first five minutes of the second half, we were more aggressive in the final third than in the first 45 minutes. I think we missed a big opportunity."

Wolves are one win away from equalling their record mark of 16 victories in a Premier League-era top-flight season - set in 2018-19 - but their first-half display here set the tone for a night of despair.

They delivered one cross in the first 45 minutes, compared with 14 after the break. In the opening half they completed 31% of their passes in the final third compared to 74% in the second period.

It was a bemusing showing. A Europa League campaign is still well within reach but Wolves will need to find much more than they did here on a night where Newcastle took advantage to earn a key win in their bid for survival.