**Bournemouth**were not bothered by the news of their head coach’s exit, earning a 2-1 win at St. James’ Park.
Andoni Iraola is set to depart the south coast after his contract expires this summer, but his men maintained their outstanding Premier League form, remaining unbeaten in their last thirteen games.
Marcus Tavernier profited from the drive of **Rayan**to break the deadlock for the guests, but after the club captain of Newcastle United marked his return to action with a second half assist for William Osula, the game hung in the balance. However, Adrien Truffert settled the scoreline with a strike late in the day, and the Cherries had pushed up into 8th position, preserving the hope of getting into continental competition.
Story of the Match
Eddie Howe had been under growing pressure with another defeat against Crystal Palace, and he rotated members of the lineup he used in that fixture. **Joelinton**was suspended, so Jacob Ramsey replaced him in the middle of the park. Jacob Murphy made way for Anthony Elanga on the right flank, and Anthony Gordon gave way to Harvey Barnes on the left wing with a minor hip problem.
**Andoni Iraolarefused to change the winning formula he found against Arsenal. James Hill, Marcos Senesi, Alex Jimenez and Adrien Truffert took the four positions in the backline. Alex Scott sat in the midfield unit next to Ryan Christie, and EliJunior Kroupi continued to play as a second striker off the shoulder of Evanilson. **Rayan**and **Marcus Tavernierfeatured on the flanks in the frontline.
The first 15 minutes of the match featured half chances for both clubs. Barnes broke forward on the left flank to try his luck while counterattacks for the Cherries showed their intent and intensity.
Gradually, momentum moved in favour of the visitors. Tavernier broke behind the backline before Tino Livramento recovered to stop him in his tracks, then **Rayan**flashed a shot wide of the mark.
Indeed, it would be Iraola’s men that broke the deadlock. Rayan demonstrated his directness again, getting around the outside of Lewis Hall to breach the box. His cutback dropped for Tavernier, and **Bournemouth**had, for the moment, moved level on points with sixth placed Chelsea.
It should have been two for the guests when Scott squared the ball for Evanilson. However, he poked the ball wide of the mark, and the crowd at the Gallowgate End implored the players to give more.
They nearly got what they wanted on the stroke of half time. A free kick from Hall had drifted all the way to the back post, where the ball deflected off Scott, and Djordje Petrovic scrambled to save.
Kieran Trippier took the place of Hall at the start of the second half, filling in as a left back. But the deficiencies in the display persisted. Rayan was a relentless force on the right flank whenever the opportunity emerged to drive into the final third, and spaces were stretched in the midfield.
On one occasion, Scott sensed an opening, splitting the lines to leverage a path to Tavernier in the danger zone. His teammate then attempted to square the ball to Evanilson, but Sven Botman pulled off some last-ditch defending. However, the pressure was piling up, and time was ticking away.
Fans’ frustrations at St. James’ Park peaked again on the hour mark. Elanga was presented a massive opportunity to thread an inside pass to Miley, who was breaking into the box, but his execution was errant. Barnes then bundled into a sea of blue shirts, and Tonali thrashed an effort over the target.
Howe had seen enough, making more substitutions to shift the dynamics. The club captain Bruno Guimaraes,, who had been absent from action since February, resumed his rightful role in the middle of the park. He replaced Ramsey, and Murphy was positioned as a right winger in place of Elanga.
Iraola then made a double change of his own. Tyler Adams added fresh legs in defensive midfield, and David Brooks displaced Kroupi, so Tavernier took on a central position from the Frenchman.
Expectancy accompanied the presence of Guimaraes, who received a hero’s welcome from the fans. He delivered the goods, punching a pass through the lines into the path of Osula. The striker swivelled away from Hill, marshalled his way into the box, and sidestepped Senesi, slotting the ball into the back of the net. An offside flag was raised, then the goal was awarded by VAR on second inspection.
Livramento pulled up with a hamstring injury, so **Dan Burn**entered the fray as he left the pitch. The substitute slotted in as a left back, and Trippier had switched sides to operate on his natural side. The Toon then tried to turn the screw as Murphy and Osula tested the backline in a situation of pinball.
But **Bournemouth**would respond. Truffert drifted infield from the left flank, feeding the ball to Tavernier on his outside. His teammate stood up the ball to the far post, where **Evanilson**flicked on the ball under pressure from Botman and Burn; the left back bundled home the knockdown, and there was jubilation for the visitors. Newcastle needed to go again in the final five minutes of normal time.
Howe had ordered Nick Woltemade to support Osula upfront in the final phase of the contest. It would be the captain who led by example though as Guimaraes crashed a strike at the target during injury time, forcing Petrovic to parry. He then found the head of Burn from the subsequent corner, but the defender’s effort ballooned over the crossbar. Hope was draining quickly from the crowd.
It would not be restored. The supporters had been rather muted at the sight of the announcement for injury time, and boos were audible around the ground at the final whistle. Newcastle are now on 42 points, sitting in 14th place, and only six behind **Bournemouth**themselves. But their trajectory has stalled, and it seems like the needle is not about to move in their direction when it matters the most.