(Football news) The Magpies, who lost 2-0 to Andoni Iraola’s team at the Vitality Stadium in the middle of November, will be out for retribution.
Newcastle got back to winning ways last Saturday at the City Ground, defeating Nottingham Forest 3-2 to increase their prospects of qualifying for Europe the next season. This came after they had torn apart a point in an exciting 4–4 home draw with Luton Town.
The Magpies were pegged back twice in the first half as goals from Forest duo Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi cancelled out strikes from Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar, but man-of-the-match Guimaraes secured maximum points for the visitors with a stunning strike on the 66-minute mark.
Seven points have been accumulated by Newcastle in their last three games which has helped them climb to seventh in the Premier League table, and although their top-four aspirations may be hanging by a thread – sitting 11 points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur in fourth – Europa League qualification remains firmly in their sights as they are only five points behind Manchester United in sixth spot with 14 matches remaining.
The major cause for concern from Howe’s perspective will be how his side have conceded 16 goals in their last six league matches – almost half the amount that they shipped in the whole of last season (33). In each of their last three home fixtures, the Magpies have conceded at least three goals, as many as in their previous 16 games at St James’ Park combined.
Newcastle can ill-afford another leaky defensive display if they are to come out on top against a Bournemouth outfit whom they have beaten just three times in their last 10 top-flight meetings, failing to keen a single clean sheet in the process.
When Bournemouth took on Fulham on home on Boxing Day, they won the Premier League, but that victory was on Boxing Day. Following that, the Cherries have gone winless in five games, a skid that was recently extended thanks to a 3-1 loss at Craven Cottage.
The Cherries were down two goals at the half, but Marcos Senesi gave Bournemouth a five-minute reprieve five minutes later. However, Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz scored his second goal of the game two minutes later, sending the Cherries down to their tenth league loss of the year.
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