The Magpies host Nuno Espírito Santo's Wolves at St. James' Park (kick-off 2pm GMT) and the 48-year-old will be the man in the middle for the top-flight meeting on Tyneside.

Friend has been a member of the Select Group Referees since 2009 and has taken charge of an FA Cup final (2019) and League Cup final (2013) over the course of a refereeing career which has spanned three decades. His first top-flight appointment came in 2009.

The Bristol-born official has been a regular in the Premier League but his last game in charge involving Newcastle came in May during United's emphatic 4-0 victory against Fulham on the final day of the 2018/19 season.

In the six games Friend has refereed this term, he has issued 27 yellow cards in total along with dishing out two red cards - to Brighton's Florin Andone during the Seagulls' defeat to Southampton and Aston Villa's Trézéguet in an away defeat to Crystal Palace.

He will be assisted by Matthew Wilkes and Adrian Holmes on Sunday, with Simon Hooper as the fourth official. Graham Scott will be the video assistant referee., with Derek Eaton assisting him.