Bournemouth extended their unbeaten streak to 11 matches with a stunning 4-1 victory over Newcastle United, ending the Magpies’ nine-game winning run. Justin Kluivert was the star of the show, netting a hat-trick to guide the Cherries to an impressive win at St. James’ Park.
Match Summary
Bournemouth opened the scoring early, with Kluivert slotting home in the 6th minute after a brilliant assist from Antoine Semenyo. Newcastle equalized in the 25th minute through Bruno Guimaraes, capitalizing on poor set-piece defending by Bournemouth. However, Kluivert struck again before halftime, punishing a Guimaraes error with a clinical finish set up by Dango Ouattara.
Bournemouth’s dominance continued in the second half. Although Ouattara’s goal was disallowed by VAR, Kluivert completed his hat-trick in stoppage time with a long-range stunner. Milos Kerkez added a fourth in the dying moments to put the game beyond doubt.
Newcastle United Player Ratings (4-3-3)
- GK: Martin Dubravka – 6.2/10
Made some important saves but was left exposed by his defense. - RB: Tino Livramento – 5.2/10
Struggled to deal with Bournemouth’s wide play and was caught out of position. - CB: Sven Botman – 6.0/10
Solid in patches but couldn’t handle Kluivert’s movement. - CB: Dan Burn – 5.1/10
A tough outing for the towering defender, often overrun by Bournemouth’s attackers. - LB: Lewis Hall – 6.8/10
Showed promise going forward but was defensively suspect. - CM: Bruno Guimaraes – 7.2/10
Scored Newcastle’s goal but was at fault for Bournemouth’s second. - CM: Sandro Tonali – 6.9/10
Worked hard but lacked the cutting edge in midfield. - CM: Joelinton – 6.5/10
Battled in midfield but failed to impose himself on the game. - RW: Jacob Murphy – 6.4/10
Had some lively moments but lacked consistency. - ST: Alexander Isak – 6.4/10
His eight-game scoring run ended as he was well-marshalled by Bournemouth’s defense. - LW: Anthony Gordon – 6.2/10
Struggled to make an impact in the final third.
Bournemouth Player Ratings (4-2-3-1)
- GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga – 7.0/10
Made a few key saves despite looking shaky at times. - RB: Lewis Cook – 7.6/10
Solid defensively and contributed to the attack. - CB: Illia Zabarnyi – 7.3/10
Composed performance at the heart of the defense. - CB: Dean Huijsen – 8.1/10
Dominant display, particularly in aerial duels. - LB: Milos Kerkez – 8.2/10
Scored a fantastic goal and was a constant threat on the left. - DM: Ryan Christie – 8.1/10
Controlled the midfield and broke up Newcastle’s play effectively. - DM: Tyler Adams – 7.6/10
Provided energy and defensive stability in midfield. - RW: David Brooks – 7.7/10
Creative and dangerous throughout the game. - AM: Justin Kluivert – 9.8/10
Player of the Match. A hat-trick hero, Kluivert’s movement, finishing, and creativity were exceptional. - LW: Antoine Semenyo – 7.8/10
Provided the assist for the opener and worked tirelessly. - ST: Dango Ouattara – 7.9/10
A constant menace with his pace and physicality.
Substitutes
- Daniel Jebbison (81’ for Brooks) – N/A
- Ben Winterburn (90+7’ for Kluivert) – N/A
- Remy Rees-Dottin (90+7’ for Ouattara) – N/A
Player of the Match: Justin Kluivert
Kluivert’s hat-trick was a masterclass in finishing and movement, showcasing his ability to thrive on the big stage.
Key Takeaways
- Newcastle’s Winning Run Ends: The Magpies’ defense struggled to contain Bournemouth’s fluid attack.
- Bournemouth’s Resilience: Extending their unbeaten run to 11 games, the Cherries look like a team to watch.
- Kluivert’s Brilliance: The Dutch forward’s performance will be remembered as one of the season’s best.
Bournemouth’s victory moves them closer to the European places, while Newcastle will need to regroup quickly to maintain their top-four ambitions.
