Premier League: Points Mean Much on The South Coast

Bournemouth vs Newcastle United

Saturday teatime in the Premier League and a meeting between one side of high-flyers and another who are too close to the ground for their liking.

For while Newcastle are in fourth place, in a good position to qualify for the Champions League and have also reached this month’s League Cup Final, Bournemouth have slipped into the drop zone and are fighting for survival.

With both in need of the points for different reasons then, it’s easy to see why Premier League highlights are anticipated.

Talking Points

In the home corner are Bournemouth and their manager Gary O’Neil.

Last time out, he handed debuts to January signings Antoine Semenyo and Hamed Traore, while Dango Ouattara made his second appearance following an eye-catching Premier League introduction against Nottingham Forest a fortnight ago.

The trio failed to make the scoresheet at Brighton but their pace, direct running and energy could prove a major asset as Bournemouth look to avoid an immediate return to the Championship this season.

A wholly positive interim period for O’Neil actually convinced the Cherries board to hire the 39-year-old as their new permanent manager, with negotiations apparently breaking down with Marcelo Bielsa.

His side then found a taste for goals with 12 strikes in their last four games before the World Cup.

The form has not been so good since then, however.

In fact, they have not won in the league since a 3-0 victory over Everton in mid-November and now need to get points on the board quickly to avoid becoming embroiled in a relegation battle.

Personally, I can see two south coast clubs losing their top flight status this season with Southampton also struggling and rock bottom.

Bournemouth have a better chance of staying up though and will be encouraged that new American owner Bill Foley shelled out more than £70 million on six new players last month in a bid to halt their rapid slide down the table.

With games against champions Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal also coming up after facing the Tynesiders, it is going to be a tough ask though.

This match is a reunion with former boss Eddie Howe who guided Bournemouth to the Premier League in 2015.

While the World Cup came at the most inopportune moment for the Cherries, Howe’s Magpies picked up where they left off and have still only lost once in the league all season.

They will be without the suspended Bruno Guimaraes, although he will return for the League Cup Final against Manchester United at the end of the month, but should otherwise be at full strength.

That includes £63 million star Alexander Isak who has been told by medics he will be fine for the trip to the south coast.

History

These teams had never met competitively until the League Cup in 1963.

Then Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic, as they were known, emerged 2-1 winners.

By the time they next met a decade on, the Cherries were known as plain old Bournemouth and the Geordies won the third round tie with the legendary Malcolm Macdonald a scorer in a 2-0 win.

Believe it or not, their inaugural league meeting did not happen until 1989.

That was the former Division Two and a contest Bournemouth won 2-1 – Mick Quinn scored for Newcastle.

Their very first meeting in the top flight came in 2015 when Ayoze Perez scored the only goal of the game at the Vitality Stadium.

This will be the third meeting between the club this term.

In September, Philip Billing put the Cherries in front at St James’ Park before an Isak penalty earned the hosts a draw.

Just before Christmas, an own goal separated the teams as Newcastle progressed from the fourth round of the League Cup.

Overall, Bournemouth have five victories to Newcastle’s seven with a further four draws.

Betting Tip

The ‘Geordie boys’ are big favourites with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds, which is no surprise given their lofty position and the fact the home side are in the bottom three.

You can back the Toon Army to be happy both 1X2 @ 1.48 and Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.20.

By contrast, the Cherries are priced 1X2 @ 7.20 and Asian Handicap +1.25 @ 1.76.

If you fancy goals, as I do, the options include over 2.50 @ 2.02, over 2.75 @ 2.33, total goal 0-1 @ 3.10, 2-3 @ 1.92 and 4-6 @ 3.75.

A second 1-0 Newcastle success in as many months will pay out @ 5.20 with Correct Score.

I have briefly considered that, along with 1X2 Draw @ 3.90, as Bournemouth have certainly made life difficult for Newcastle this season, but have decided to opt for total goals 2-3 @ 1.92 as my ** prediction.

 

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