For Eddie Howe: Newcastle United’s hopes of securing a club-record ten consecutive wins were dashed on Saturday as Bournemouth secured a stunning 4-1 victory at St. James’ Park. Justin Kluivert was the hero for the visitors, scoring a sensational hat-trick to inspire Andoni Iraola’s side to an emphatic win and extend their unbeaten Premier League run to ten games.
The Cherries started brightly, taking the lead in the fifth minute. Antoine Semenyo broke down the left and delivered a precise cutback for Kluivert, who slotted home with composure. Newcastle responded swiftly, with Bruno Guimaraes heading in from a Lewis Hall corner to level the score midway through the first half.
However, Bournemouth’s resilience shone through. Just before the break, Kluivert restored the visitors’ lead, capitalizing on a neat through ball from Dango Outtara to find the bottom corner. Despite Newcastle's attempts to regain control, they struggled to break down Bournemouth’s disciplined defense.
The second half saw Newcastle introduce Fabian Schar and later Kieran Trippier and Joe Willock, but Bournemouth continued to threaten. Outtara came close to adding a third, only to see his effort hit the post before VAR overturned a subsequent goal for the Cherries due to the ball going out of play in the build-up.
As Newcastle pushed forward in search of an equalizer, Bournemouth exploited the space left behind. Kluivert completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, curling a brilliant 20-yard strike past Martin Dúbravka. Moments later, Milos Kerkez added a fourth with a clinical finish, putting the game beyond doubt and compounding Newcastle's misery.
The second half saw Newcastle introduce Fabian Schar and later Kieran Trippier and Joe Willock, but Bournemouth continued to threaten. Outtara came close to adding a third, only to see his effort hit the post before VAR overturned a subsequent goal for the Cherries due to the ball going out of play in the build-up.
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Article Source: IANS