Newcastle United will aim to return to winning ways when they take on Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening.
Saturday’s Premier League action concludes with a clash at the Vitality Stadium between relegation-threatened Bournemouth and top-four hopefuls Newcastle United.
The Cherries are battling tooth and nail to prolong their stay in the Premier League. When Scott Parker was sacked just a few games into the new season, Gary O’Neil stepped in admirably and organised them into a hard-to-break-down outfit. The change in philosophy produced results at first, and he got the job on a permanent basis, deservedly so.
However, the wheels have fallen off drastically since, and there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel for Bournemouth, who are winless in their last six Premier League games and have shipped the most goals in the league so far this season (43).
What’s more, the poor-performing backline has been matched by an equally inefficient frontline, which has scored just one goal in six Premier League outings after the restart, as they continue to reel off disappointments week in and week out.
That is relegation-level form, leaving Bournemouth second from bottom ahead of a difficult stretch of games that includes Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool after the homecoming of their former boss Eddie Howe, whose Newcastle United are flying higher than the clouds this season.
The hosts are in dire need of a positive result to gain some momentum. But they face a Newcastle side that has only suffered one Premier League loss all season.
The Magpies looked best-placed to finish in the top four only a few weeks ago. And their 16-game undefeated streak indicates the same. But they have also flattered to deceive lately, with a string of four draws in their last five games leaving them apprehensive, with fifth-placed Tottenham closing the gap to just one point, albeit having played a game more.
They relinquished a third-minute advantage to play out a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United last mid-week. However, Newcastle remain in Champions League places in the Premier League table, and with a Carabao Cup final against Manchester United on the horizon, things are looking bright in the North East.
While this looks like an excellent opportunity for the Toon to get back on track and pick up a much-needed three points, things may not be as simple for the visitors. They do not have to look much farther than the reverse fixture at St. James’ Park earlier this season, where the Cherries held out for a draw.
Team News & Tactics
Bournemouth
Matchday minus 𝘁𝘄𝗼 👊
The latest from this week's training 🎬
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) February 9, 2023
Bournemouth will remain without the services of David Brooks, Junior Stanislas, and Ryan Fredericks, all of whom continue to be sidelined due to respective injury problems. Lloyd Kelly and Jack Stephens suffered calf injuries against Nottingham Forest, which forced them to miss the game against Brighton, and they will certainly miss this one as well.
Dominic Solanke, Lewis Cook, and Marcus Tavernier could all feature in this match. But it remains to be seen whether they will be deemed fit enough to start the game.
Gary O’Neil could line his side up in a 4-2-3-1 system with an intention to remain compact and disciplined defensively and catch their opponent on counter-attacks. The key difference is that they will now be able to attack with genuine speed and venom, having made very intriguing additions in the attacking area of the pitch this past January.
Sassuolo loanee Hamed Traore impressed with an explosive performance on his Premier League debut and should get the nod to continue in the number 10 role, with Dango Ouattara and Jaidon Anthony on either flank. The former is comfortable playing on either wing and brings explosive unpredictability with his razor-sharp skills and devastating pace, while the latter will just provide width on the left flank.
If Solanke does not get the clearance from the get-go, another winter signing, Antoine Semenyo, will get another chance to impress the on-looking home support.
There will almost certainly be no reshuffling or personnel changes at the back or in midfield. Newly-appointed club captain, Neto, will man the goal for the hosts, with Adam Smith, Chris Mepham, Marcos Senesi, and Jordan Zemura forming the back four. Left-back Matias Vina will likely have to contend with a place on the bench.
Towering midfielder and the club’s joint top scorer, Philip Billing, should start in midfield alongside Jefferson Lerma. There will be several good options available on the bench in the form of Kieffer Moore and Solanke.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neto; Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Zemura; Lerma, Billing; Ouattara, Traore, Anthony; Semenyo
Newcastle United
Bruno Guimaraes will not feature in the Newcastle lineup against Bournemouth as he serves the second of his three-match ban. Javier Manquillo sustained an injury in training and will be out until early March. Matt Target and Emil Krafth are making good progress, with the former back on the grass, but both will remain out of action this weekend.
Nick Pope’s goal was breached for the first time since November last weekend, but the England international will be looking for an easy evening in the Newcastle goal against the toothless Cherries’ attack. Newcastle’s back four have been the definition of a watertight defence this term, with Howe’s backline conceding only 12 goals, at least five fewer than any other club in the division.
Thus, Howe is unlikely to reshuffle such a successful quartet as Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, and Dan Burn are all set to retain their positions. On-field captain Trippier has been an unbelievable signing and has been a big player in terms of leadership, defensive nous, and quality on the ball.
Eddie Howe on Anthony Gordon:
"A really positive debut last week. The first impression you give the supporters is such an important moment. I did some one-to-one work with him on Monday and he trained with the group the rest of the week. He's shown some really good signs." pic.twitter.com/FbwoqtFKMC
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) February 10, 2023
The same goes in the midfield department, with Joe Willock, Sean Longstaff, and Joelinton forming the trifecta. Joelinton and Longstaff will act as Nos. 8 and 6 in order to compensate for Guimaraes’ absence.
Allan Saint-Maximin struggled on his first Newcastle United start in the Premier League after a long while, and his position in the team may come under threat after an uneventful night. The Frenchman could be benched here in favour of winter recruit Anthony Gordon, who delivered a lively 20-minute cameo against West Ham off the left wing.
Miguel Almiron’s tenacity and work rate are crucial in deciding both offensive and defensive situations for his team, both on and off the ball. Callum Wilson snapped his goalless slump against West Ham last time out, and now that he’s back amongst the goals, the 30-year-old will be hoping to enjoy a purple patch in front of goal as he faces strong competition from Alexander Isak for the central striker berth.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Willock, Longstaff, Joelinton; Almiron, Wilson, Gordon
Key Stats
- Bournemouth are now winless in their last six against the Magpies (D3 L3).
- Newcastle United are unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League matches.
- Bournemouth have lost five of their last six English top-flight games and have won just two of their last 15 games across all competitions (D2 L11).
- The hosts have failed to score in five of their last six Premier League games.
- Bournemouth have conceded more Premier League goals than any other side this season (43), while Newcastle have let in the fewest in the division (12).
Player to Watch
Anthony Gordon
Anthony Gordon wasted no time showing Newcastle United fans what they can expect from him after delivering a sparkling, buzzing display off the bench in the 1-1 draw with West Ham United. The £40 million addition was introduced with little over 20 minutes to play at a full St James’ Park as the hosts chased a late winner.
Within minutes, the latest attacking purchase had supporters on the edge of their seats as he attempted to heighten Newcastle’s onslaught with slick interchanges and directness. The Everton academy product played Wilson in behind the Hammers’ defence with a perfectly-weighted, eye-of-the-needle through pass in the closing stages before Nayef Aguerd denied Wilson’s shot with a strong last-ditch challenge.
Overall, it was a bright display, and the Toon faithful would be delighted and excited after seeing the qualities that he’ll bring to their team. With Newcastle set to enjoy the lion’s share of possession here, the Magpies could certainly benefit from the dynamic flank movement from Almiron and Gordon up against a deep-block defence.
Prediction
Bournemouth 0-3 Newcastle United
Newcastle have failed to turn draws into wins in the league lately, slightly hindering their Champions League odds. For all of their defensive nous and resoluteness, they haven’t been able to make an impact going forward. The Magpies need to score more goals and get back to firing on all cylinders if they are to achieve the top four and finally lift the ever-elusive silverware.
And this encounter against a Bournemouth side in complete free-fall may be just what the doctor, well, Eddie Howe, ordered. While Newcastle haven’t exactly blown anybody away in a long time, the Toon will fancy their chances to hand Eddie Howe’s former club a hammering, which if it happens, could well be the end of the road for Cherries’ under-pressure boss Gary O’Neil.