Flying High: Bournemouth Aim to Continue Dream Start as Newcastle Come to Town
Bournemouth are riding the crest of a wave. After equalling their highest-ever Premier League finish last season—matching the ninth place Eddie Howe delivered back in 2016-17—Andoni Iraola’s side have picked up right where they left off. Four games into the new campaign, the Cherries sit an impressive fourth in the table, boasting three wins from four.
Their season opener at Anfield was a baptism of fire. Bournemouth fell two goals behind to Liverpool, only to claw themselves level, before late efforts from Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah ultimately condemned them to a 4-2 defeat. If there were doubts after that setback, Iraola’s men have quickly put them to rest.
The response has been emphatic. Straight wins over Wolves and Spurs—both by a single goal—were followed by a well-earned 2-1 victory at Brighton, capping off a run that’s turned heads across the division. It’s the kind of form that breeds confidence, and with Newcastle United arriving on the south coast this Sunday, Bournemouth supporters have every reason to believe the run can continue.
History is on their side, too. Bournemouth haven’t lost to Newcastle in any of their last five encounters, a sequence that includes two wins and three draws. Last season’s 4-1 demolition of the Magpies at St James’ Park still lingers in the memory, and Newcastle haven’t tasted victory at Vitality Stadium since the summer of 2020.
By contrast, Eddie Howe’s men are searching for momentum. Newcastle have managed just one win from their opening five matches in all competitions, with two defeats and two draws rounding out a stuttering start. Their league form was particularly worrying—an 11-game winless stretch stretching back to last term—before Nick Woltemade’s debut goal finally secured a 1-0 win over Wolves.
Any hopes of building on that were dashed in midweek, as Marcus Rashford struck twice to give Barcelona a 2-1 Champions League win at St James’ Park. Howe’s side are desperate for a spark, and Sunday’s trip to Bournemouth offers a shot at redemption. The Magpies haven’t beaten Bournemouth in the league since 2020, and their last victory in any competition came via a slender EFL Cup win in December 2022.
For Iraola and his free-flowing Cherries, the message is clear: keep the momentum rolling. For Newcastle, it’s a chance to turn the ship around and restore some much-needed confidence.
OUR PREDICTION – Bournemouth to win and by over 1.5 goals – 3.15 @ Smarkets.
£100 returns £315
Teams in the champions league tend to suffer in the following game, especially with a long trip to Bournemouth.
