Eady Cook!
RAFA GOES GUNG-HO BUT PAYS PRICE AS TOON BEATEN BY LATE HEADER
Elliot 7; Yedlin 5, Lascelles 5 (Clark (55th) 5), Lejeune 6, Manquillo 5; Ritchie 7, Shelvey 6, Hayden 6, Atsu 6 (Murphy 82nd); Gayle 6, Joselu 5 (Perez (68th) 5)
NOTHING boring here – but if this is Newcastle going a bit gung-ho, Rafa Benitez better think again.
A minority of Magpies fans feel their side are becoming dull under the Spaniard.
But boss Benitez opted for a more attacking approach this time with a 4-4-2 formation – and ultimately it did not work.
That was despite Newcastle making a scintillating start that should have seen them out of sight.
Benitez said it was a “self-inflicted defeat” and added: “You have to create chances, take them and not make mistakes – and we didn’t do that.
“In the end, we paid for our mistakes. We gave the ball away easily without great pressing and we gave them chances to counter-attack and the belief that they could score.”
Bournemouth keeper Asmir Begovic, with help from the woodwork, was the difference in the opening period.
And referee Paul Tierney, and his assistant, left recalled Toon striker Dwight Gayle frustrated when he was denied a 16th-minute goal by a marginal offside decision.
Newcastle keeper Rob Elliot had plenty to do too and he was beaten in stoppage time when Cherries defender Steve Cook rose to head in Andrew Surman’s right-wing corner.
A minute earlier, Newcastle had an incredible escape when Marc Pugh’s effort took a double deflection off Elliot and Florian Lejeune before clipping a post.
But this spelled back-to-back defeats for the Geordies – and it was only Benitez’s second loss in his last 59 Premier League home games played on a Saturday.
Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson made his first league start since January following a second cruciate knee ligament injury – and was partnered by fit-again Josh King to cushion the blow of Benik Afobe and Junior Stanislas joining the casualty list.
Gayle made only his third start this term at the expense of Ayoze Perez in a changed formation that was also adopted by the visitors. It made for an open start, surely pleasing the Geordie fans who have been complaining about the fare their side have been serving up.
Benitez has bristled at that and the home crowd certainly had no grounds to moan early on as Begovic was kept busy.
Matt Ritchie, who quit Bournemouth to drop into the Championship with Newcastle in the summer of 2016, rifled a scorching effort that Begovic touched round a post.
Ritchie set up a chance for Gayle, whose far-post header was blocked by Cook, with the Newcastle striker appealing in vain for handball.
Christian Atsu, once on loan to Bournemouth, brought the ball down on his chest and hit a power-packed shot that Begovic met with a flying save.
And Ritchie curled an attempt against Begovic’s far upright before Gayle knocked the loose ball in, only for the offside flag to be raised.
The visitors finally brought a save from Elliot, who had to stretch to tip over Wilson’s 35th-minute header.
Elliot had to be alert again three minutes later when King got in on the left and fired at the near post where the keeper did well to hold the ball.
Joselu wasted another opportunity four minutes into the second half when he reached Jonjo Shelvey’s corner with a tame downward header that Begovic still had to turn over.
Wilson should have given Bournemouth the lead three minutes later but hit the side-netting with only Elliot to beat.
The home fans were incensed when Lejeune was booked after a head-to-head encounter with King, who looked as though he should have also been cautioned for his part in the incident.
A cry of “Mitro, Mitro” went up from the Toon Army as they called for the introduction of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic – but Benitez threw on Perez in place of Joselu. The emergence of former Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe from the Bournemouth bench drew boos and insults
Begovic 8; Francis 6, S Cook 7, Ake 6, Daniels 6; Ibe 5 (Defoe 76th), Surman 5, Arter 5, Pugh 5; King 6, Wilson 5 (Smith (75th) 5) when he came on for Jordon Ibe. And it was Defoe’s shot, saved by Elliot, that led to the corner for the winner.
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe saw his side climb out of the bottom three and said: “It’s big psychologically for everyone.
“Being in the bottom three is psychologically difficult – it’s rammed down your throat these days. Hopefully it’s a turning point for us.
“I thought we deserved the win in the end. When Marc Pugh’s effort didn’t go in, the temptation was to think, ‘Here we go again’ – but credit to the players because they didn’t feel that way.” Asmir Begovic P Tierney Man United (A), Nov 18 Huddersfield (H), Nov 18