On Saturday morning, as 1,700 Bournemouth fans with tickets left home to travel to Newcastle for the match, they might have had doubts about their decision. After all, Newcastle was in excellent form, having won nine consecutive matches in all competitions and five consecutive home games, and they also had one of Europe's hottest strikers, Alexander Isak, in their squad.
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02-07, 2025Although Bournemouth had been unbeaten in the Premier League since November, several key players were out due to injury, including Marcos Senesi, Marcus Tavernier, Luis Sinisterra, Enes Ünal, and Euanon. However, the final result proved that the Bournemouth fans' worries were unnecessary.
Dutch player Justin Kluivert became the hero of the 4-1 victory, scoring a hat-trick in the match. His father, Patrick Kluivert, played for Newcastle in the 2004-05 season, scoring 13 goals in 37 appearances, but only one of those goals was at St. James' Park. "I heard I've already scored more goals here than him, so that's one win for me," 25-year-old Justin said on BBC's Match of the Day program. "I followed Newcastle when I was a kid, but unfortunately, Kluivert plays for another team now."
This victory not only extended Bournemouth's longest unbeaten run in the top flight to double digits, but also lifted them to sixth place in the league table, just one point behind fourth-placed Newcastle. "We can dream big," added Kluivert, who had previously scored a penalty hat-trick against Wolves last November. "We can go far. It feels amazing, it's the best feeling in the world. We trust each other, we believe in each other. I think that's the spirit of our team."
Former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Danny Murphy said on BBC's Match of the Day program, "Bournemouth were outstanding, incredible. It's one of the best away performances I've seen. They had nine key players injured and managed to beat a team that had won nine in a row, and they bravely pressed against the fastest front three in the league. It was no fluke." Former West Ham, Chelsea, and Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole said on TNT Sports, "Bournemouth are now in the top echelon, and I think they will be capable of challenging for European spots. Their front four tore Newcastle's defense apart."
Despite the injury woes, Bournemouth have taken 37 points from 22 games, their best return at this stage of a Premier League season. The Cherries have been particularly impressive on the road. They have won four of their last six Premier League away games, and their away points total (14) since November 30 is more than any other team. They have also scored two or more goals in seven consecutive away league games for the first time in their history. Furthermore, they have beaten Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford for the second consecutive year. They also became the first team since Manchester City in December 2021 to beat Newcastle by three or more goals at St. James' Park in the Premier League. Kluivert has scored eight away goals, the second most away goals in the league, behind only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (11).
Newcastle is by no means the only "strong team" to have struggled against Bournemouth this season. The Cherries only took two points against the top six teams last season, but this season they have already beaten Newcastle, Arsenal, and Manchester City. They also drew against in-form Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, drew with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and defeated Tottenham and Manchester United. Whether Bournemouth can sustain their push for European places remains to be seen, but Tyler Adams says the Cherries are confident of continuing their upward trajectory. "We've shown real belief against these strong teams," the American midfielder said. "I've heard the Champions League music before (at RB Leipzig) - I'd love to hear it again. We have to be realistic, but we also don't want to limit expectations."
The early days of Iraola's tenure, when the team only took three points from their first nine league games, seem like a long time ago now. After a 1-2 home defeat to Wolves in October 2023, reports suggested that Iraola's job could be under threat just five months into his reign, but the turnaround since then has been remarkable. Since the Spaniard achieved his first win in charge (against Burnley a week later), Bournemouth have picked up 82 points from 51 games, the seventh-best record of any Premier League club, 11 more than Manchester United and 17 more than Tottenham.
A key feature of Iraola's Bournemouth is their aggressive high press. Newcastle defender Dan Burn admitted after Saturday's game that the Magpies had fallen into Bournemouth's "trap." Iraola's team has won possession in the opposition's attacking third 141 times, far more than any other team in the league. Their high turnovers stand at 193, the third-highest in the league, behind only Tottenham and Arsenal, and their high turnovers leading to shots (44) are also more than any other team. Before Saturday's Premier League game, the Cherries also ranked first, second, second, and third in distance covered, sprints, direct speed (their speed of attack), and attempts, respectively. "It's controlled chaos," Adams said of Iraola's tactics. "We want to make the game as chaotic as possible, but controlled for us. We run everywhere, but you have to trust and be smart because we know we can leave ourselves vulnerable."
Opta's expected points model, which simulates the number of goals each team should have scored based on the xG value of all their shots, shows that Bournemouth's expected total is 37.8 points, behind only Arsenal (40.16) and Liverpool (44.75). Of course, these figures should be treated with caution, but they highlight just how well Bournemouth have performed since the start of the season. Kluivert, who returned to the pitch on Saturday after defender James Hill's injury, will grab the headlines for his hat-trick at St. James' Park. Like his manager, the Dutchman also took some time to find his feet at the Vitality Stadium, scoring his first Premier League goal for the club five months after joining from Roma.
He scored nine goals in 36 appearances last season, but this season, he has already surpassed that total, scoring 11 goals in 23 appearances in all competitions after his hat-trick against Newcastle. Interestingly, he has scored two more Premier League goals at St. James' Park than his father did in his only season in England. "I didn't know that stat," said Iraola. "I played against his father – he scored against me (at Barcelona). He was a very good player. Patrick has always been his coach, so [Justin] has that advantage. Of course, [Patrick] has given him very good advice."
Last November, Kluivert Jr. made Premier League history by becoming the first player to score a penalty hat-trick in the same game when they beat Wolves 4-2. However, on Saturday, all three of his goals came from open play, including a long-range effort in the second half to complete his hat-trick. "He's incredible," said Adams, who played with Kluivert at Leipzig. "He's found a really good home here. I know what he can do on the offensive side, but he's also done a great job on the defensive side. He's a very creative player and controls the game for us. He's just starting to warm up."
