Newcastle have been stuttering somewhat in 2023 and a trip to Bournemouth for The Eddie Howe Derby ended in another Premier League stalemate…
Eddie Howe came into The Eddie Howe Derby in uncharted territory. Arsenal’s somewhat underwhelming 1-1 draw with Brentford, Brighton’s draw at Crystal Palace and Spurs’ hiding at Leicester had presented an opportunity for Newcastle to solidify their position in fourth place in the Premier League while closing the gap at the top of the table. The odds against them managing to drag their way back into the title race remain slight, but by the time they took the pitch for their bout of Saturday night fever it did feel somewhat as though the weekend might be opening up for Howe’s team.
On a weekend of derby matches – even Arsenal vs Brentford was The Arsenal Stadium Mystery Derby – this was the least local of all, with a 350 mile journey for away supporters on a Saturday evening. Thanks, Sky Sports! And could there be any team in the Premier League more motivated to beat a Newcastle team managed by Howe than Bournemouth? Over two spells at the club which lasted ten years, he created the modern AFC Bournemouth, even if his last act as their manager was so oversee their 2020 relegation back to the Championship.
Well, this season Bournemouth are back and they’ve had a strange season so far, with all bar three of the games in which they’ve taken any points whatsoever coming in the six weeks following their 9-0 shellacking at Liverpool. Caretaker Gary O’Neil was appointed into the job on the basis of this run, and after their 2-1 win against Leicester on the 8th October they were in 8th place in the Premier League table. But the club was coming under new ownership, and even though a final decision wasn’t made until the end of November, new owner Bill Foley wanted some continuity.
The problem is that results haven’t continued to flow. Bournemouth arrived for this match off the back of seven defeats and one point from their previous eight games, having taken just four points since that win against Leicester, a run of form which has taken them from 8th to 19th place over the previous four months. It doesn’t seem particularly likely that O’Neil will be replaced this season – who would they get in to replace him? – but those odds have been shortening with every defeat in their recent poor run.
And Newcastle United are in a bit of a funk at the moment, not that you would have noticed in the…
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