Premier League: The Cherries Are Never Easy Pickings

Bournemouth vs Newcastle United

Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth are aiming for four Premier League wins on the bounce on Sunday when they take on Newcastle United at the Vitality Stadium. 

And Premier League: Bournemouth vs Newcastle United sees an old friend return to the south coast as Magpies boss Eddie Howe goes back to the club he played for 270 times and managed over 11 years, spanning two stints. Howe led the Cherries to promotion from League 2, League 1 and the Championship and he is the man credited with giving Bournemouth their best times in living memory.      

Under Iraola, the Cherries are kicking on, and they come into this clash with three consecutive wins in the Premier League while, after picking up their first league victory last week, Newcastle went down to a 2-1 defeat against Barcelona in the Champions League on Thursday night. Of course, these are early days but the embryonic league table tells us this is a fourth versus tenth clash and the Bournemouth vs Newcastle United betting odds say the hosts have the edge in this match.  

 

Talking Points

Bournemouth’s settled team is thriving  

The Cherries were close to winning European qualification last term, equalling their best-ever finish in the Premier League, matching the ninth place they achieved under Howe in 2017. They were unlucky to lose their opener, the season’s curtain raiser against champions Liverpool. After Antoine Semenyo had scored a brilliant brace to level at 2-2 the Reds struck very late, through Federico Chiesa and Mo Salah, to take all three points. And since then Bournemouth have beaten Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion. 

Semenyo scored a penalty on the hour to give the Cherries a 2-1 win over the Seagulls and that left Iraola’s team in the early Champions League places. With a week to prepare the manager is unlikely many, if any changes to his winning side, though he will check on the fitness of Ryan Christie and Bafode Diakite. And the in-form Semenyo is sure to lead an exciting attack alongside Evanilson, Marcus Tavernier and David Brooks.  

 

No Wissa or Gordon for frustrated Magpies   

After failing to win any of their opening three games a meeting with Wolves was just what Newcastle needed to get off the mark, and a goal from debutant Nick Woltemade won the game. The 6ft 6in striker arrived from VfB Stuttgart as a replacement, in part, for the departed Alexader Isak. Woltemade scored 12 goals in 29 games for Stuttgart last term and his form earned him four Germany caps. 

But that’s about as far as the good news goes for Newcastle at the moment. 

After edging out Wolves last weekend the Magpies fell to a 2-1 defeat to Barcelona as Marcus Rashford, much to Manchester United fans’ disbelief; scored a brilliant brace for the Blaugrana. Winger Anthony Gordon was the hosts’ bright spark against the La Liga champions and he scored the Geordies’ goal. But the pre-match Bournemouth vs Newcastle United news which is troubling the Magpies the most is that Gordon sits this one out after he copped for a red card when Newcastle lost to Liverpool, going down to a late Reds winner, much like the Cherries. 

And Newcastle fans will have to be patient as they wait for an appearance from summer signing Yoanne Wissa. The former Brentford man is out, with a knee injury picked up on international duty, as is another new arrival Jacob Ramsay, which means Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes should start either side of Woltemade on Sunday.      

 

History

Of the 15 meetings between these two teams, Newcastle have won five to Bournemouth’s four and there have been six draws. But the Cherries are undefeated in the last five encounters, pulling off an incredible 4-1 victory over the Magpies at St James’ Park last season as Justin Kluivert scored a hat-trick.      

With three wins and three losses from their last six games the Cherries have been hit and miss; but are on the up with two consecutive victories, and three in the league, while the Magpies have won just one, drawn two and lost three of their last six.    

 

Betting Tip

Bournemouth are the marginal favourites to make it four wins on the bounce at a SBOTOP price of 2.38, while the draw is at 3.42 with a Newcastle win in between at 2.80.  

By the end of the campaign I suspect the Magpies will be above the Cherries but, right now, they are four points behind and I think that will still be the case by Sunday night. 

   

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