Newcastle United received a heavy blow on Saturday evening. Visiting low-flyer Bournemouth, The Magpies suffered a defeat. Additionally, the already overcrowded infirmary became even more congested.
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The medical staff of Newcastle worked overtime in the run-up to the match with Bournemouth. Visiting the club where manager Eddie Howe made his name, The Magpies missed as many as ten (!) core players. Sven Botman was also absent for a while due to an injury. The Dutch national team defender was one of the key players Howe couldn’t deploy in his old home.
'I still believe we are good enough,' Howe said hopefully before kickoff to the BBC. However, Newcastle struggled. The relegation candidate smelled blood and put the visitors under pressure. Former Vitesse striker Dominic Solanke fired a warning shot, while Justin Kluivert also targeted goalkeeper Nick Pope. The industrious Dutchman was a menace to Newcastle's defense but couldn’t open the score.
After half an hour, Howe's worries grew as he saw Miguel Almíron also drop out with an injury. In the second half, this allowed Bournemouth to increase the pressure. The stripped-down Newcastle resisted fiercely, but a goal from the home team seemed inevitable. It came. With some luck, the ball landed at the feet of Solanke, who finally beat Pope after an hour of play.
Bournemouth had Newcastle on the ropes and continued to hunt for another goal. It came a little over ten minutes later. Solanke was again sharp, following a corner kick that was headed onto the bar, and he decided the match. As a result, Newcastle drops to the seventh place in the standings and is overtaken by Manchester United.
Updated: 07:51, 11 Nov 2023
