O’Neil showing he could be right man for Cherries
TO think, seven weeks ago Gary O’Neil was managing his son Carter-Jae’s Under-9s team to defeat. Now he’s unbeaten in six Premier League games as a rookie caretaker coach.
O’Neil did not seem a realistic candidate when the Bournemouth vacancy first became available upon Scott Parker’s sacking in late August.
Yet Bournemouth have grown into a different team since that 9-0 defeat by Liverpool. They’ll be disappointed with this draw, given they led and were pegged back twice, but they sit in the top half of the Premier League table.
‘A point away in the Premier League is always a good point,’ said O’Neil, who refuses to big himself up for the job. ‘The boys have given me everything in these six games.’
Philip Billing was played in behind before returning the pass to Dominic Solanke, who beat Bernd Leno for 1-0.
In the 22nd minute, Issa Diop headed beyond visiting keeper Neto to make it 1-1.
Nevertheless, Bournemouth did go ahead again after 28 minutes when Solanke fed Jefferson Lerma, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Aleksandar Mitrovic, starting for the first time since October 1 due to an ankle complaint, went down under pressure from Lerma and a penalty was awarded. The Serb stepped up and made it 2-2.