After the Magpies came through a spell of early pressure, the Serbian’s close-range strike late in the first half proved enough to send Rafa Benitez’s side back to the top of the Sky Bet Championship.

The hosts huffed and puffed after the break, but found clear-cut chances hard to come by, with United’s back four – Ciaran Clark and Jamaal Lascelles in particular – proving a tough nut to crack.

Benitez made two changes to the side who overcame Derby County a week ago, with skipper Lascelles restored to the starting line-up, and Jack Colback making his first appearance in almost a month.

And Colback was involved almost immediately, conceding a free-kick just 30 seconds in, before being presented with the first chance of the game at the other end.

Following a quick break, Matt Ritchie played the midfielder through on goal, but – from a tight angle – he was only able to muster a tame effort at Carl Ikeme.

Portuguese winger Helder Costa – who became Wolves’ record signing earlier this week – then curled high of the target from a 20-yard free-kick, before initiating a neat attacking move midway through the half.

Costa played in Andi Weimann deep on the left, whose cross from the byline was volleyed into the ground and wide of the upright by Nouha Dicko.

25 minutes in, Costa’s in-swinging set-piece was flicked on by Dave Edwards towards Richard Stearman at the back post, who lifted the ball over the crossbar.

Mitrovic – already booked – required treatment after colliding with Ikeme just shy of the half-hour mark, with sections of the home support demanding a second yellow.

But, with the interval looming, it was the Serbian who broke the deadlock.

Jonjo Shelvey’s free-kick from the right bobbled up for Mohamed Diame just inside the area, whose stinging drive cannoned off Wolves’ Conor Coady. The loose ball took a nick off Lascelles and dropped kindly for Mitrovic, who duly fired home from six yards.

Wolves were almost level less than five minutes into the second half. Another Costa delivery was met by Edwards at the near post, who powered a header into the side-netting.

Costa then saw a hopeful effort blocked, before the game became increasingly fragmented, referee Craig Pawson regularly halting play for a series of niggly fouls.

With just over a quarter of an hour remaining, Costa was upended by Paul Dummett after darting to the byline. From the resultant set-piece, he picked out Lee Evans on the edge of the penalty area, who failed to keep his first-time strike on target.

Ten minutes from time, Clark produced an important interception to prevent Dicko getting a touch to Jon Dadi Bodvarsson’s cutback. Captain Danny Batth met the resultant corner, but was unable to connect properly.

United struggled to impose themselves in the final third after the break, with a late Diame strike – easily saved by Ikeme – their only effort of note.

Clark slid in to deny Dicko again late on, before Lascelles blocked a last-gasp Matt Doherty effort as the home side pressed for an equaliser, which - thankfully for Newcastle - never came.