JUSTIN KLUIVERT NETS HAT-TRICK AS BOURNEMOUTH TRASH NEWCASTLE 4-1 AWAY TO END HOME TEAM’S WINNING STREAK

Justin Kluivert scored a hat-trick as Bournemouth claimed a thoroughly deserved victory at St James’ Park to stretch their unbeaten Premier League run to 10 matches and wreck Newcastle’s own nine-match winning streak.

The Magpies were hoping to set a new club record of 10 straight victories in all competitions, but struggled to replicate the form that had them tipped as title challengers.

Bournemouth made the much brighter start and took a deserved sixth-minute lead when Kluivert coolly steered Antoine Semenyo’s cutback into the far corner.

Newcastle equalised with their first real opportunity as Bruno Guimaraes rose highest to nod Lewis Hall’s 25th-minute corner past Kepa Arrizabalaga, who failed to keep the header out despite getting a hand to the ball.

But the Cherries remained on top and led again a minute before the break, courtesy of another composed Kluivert finish, which came after Guimaraes had lost possession just outside his own box.

The visitors thought they had made it 3-1 when Dango Ouattara prodded home from close range shortly after the hour mark, but the video assistant referee (VAR) spotted that Guimaraes’ clearance had gone out of play moments earlier and a corner was awarded instead.

David Brooks was also denied by a sprawling Martin Dubravka save, but Kluivert completed his treble – his second of the season after a hat-trick of penalties against Wolves in November – with a spectacular drive into the far corner following a poor Anthony Gordon pass.

Milos Kerkez rubbed more salt into Newcastle’s wounds in added time, sending a fierce left-footed drive into the far corner to the delight of the Cherries’ 1,700 travelling fans.

Bournemouth are now just one point behind the fourth-placed Magpies in the table and will end the day in sixth if Aston Villa fail to beat Arsenal in Saturday’s late game.

Kluivert the hero for impressive Cherries

Given Bournemouth’s lengthy list of absentees, taking their record unbeaten league run into double figures was a magnificent achievement – as was the manner of victory at St. James’ Park, inflicting Newcastle’s biggest home defeat since Manchester City thumped them 4-0 in December 2021.

Defender James Hill was the latest player to be ruled out due to injury on Saturday after pulling a hamstring in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea, with Kluivert, ironically, his replacement in the starting XI.

The Dutchman, whose father Patrick scored only once at home for Newcastle during a short spell in the 2004-05 season, marked his return with a wonderfully crafted opener involving Ryan Christie and Semenyo.

Kluivert’s first came not long after Ouattara had shot straight at Dubravka from Brooks’ cross, with Semenyo lashing over the rebound from a good position inside the area.

Kluivert’s second was no less than Bournemouth deserved against a rattled Magpies side, whose growing frustration was summed up by Joelinton’s rash tackle on the Cherries forward in first-half stoppage time, which earned the Brazilian a deserved yellow card.

Newcastle’s expected second-half onslaught never materialised as Andoni Iraola’s team continued to create the better opportunities. Ouattara was unfortunate to see his close-range effort disallowed, and Dubravka produced a magnificent save to prevent Brooks’ shot from creeping inside the far post.

In many ways, Bournemouth’s third of the afternoon summed up the game as Gordon’s sloppy pass was cut out by Kluivert, who lashed an unstoppable shot past Dubravka to complete his treble and lift his league tally for the season to 10.

Kerkez’s fine finish compounded the woes of Newcastle’s former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe and lifted the Cherries into the top six.

Kesh Awefada

Kesh Awefada

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