Newcastle-Bournemouth is a League Cup fourth round match played on Tuesday at 21:00: stats, line-ups and predictions.
This is one of the rare clashes in this League Cup fourth round between two teams participating in the Premier League. On the one hand, the highly-launched Newcastle, which has now become a reality in the English top league, with which even the big teams have to contend. On the other, Bournemouth, a newly promoted team fighting for safety.
For both the second half of the season will start again on 26th December, the traditional Boxing Day so dear to the English public. Newcastle are on the back of five consecutive victories – the last one against Chelsea at St James’ Park – not including a penalty shoot-out against Crystal Palace in the League Cup third round. Currently, the Magpies occupy the third step of the podium, behind Arsenal and Manchester City and ahead of battleships such as Manchester United and Liverpool. Eddie Howe, in short, has been able to bring home important results just a year after the change of ownership – Newcastle was bought by the very rich Saudi fund Pif – and the qualification for the European cups seems to be a goal within reach.
Two friendly matches have been played in recent weeks by the Bianconeri, who beat first Al-Hilal and then Rayo Vallecano. No test match instead for Bournemouth, who have not been on the pitch for more than a month, when they scrambled Everton (3-0) in the championship, after having also done it a few days before in the League Cup (4-1). The Cherries, now led by Gary O’Neil, are 14th, +3 above the relegation zone. But the feeling is that they will have to work hard to bring home salvation.
Tavernier
The Prediction
Newcastle have all in all performed well in the two recent friendlies, also showing good fitness. They should be able to go through despite the absences of star strikers Isak and Wilson, who are not yet at their best. Likely to score at least three goals overall.
Newcastle-Bournemouth’s likely line-up
- NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Botman, Targett; Shelvey, Longstaff, Willock; Almiron, Wood, Saint-Maximin.
- BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Travers; Smith, Mepham, Senesi, Zemura; Tavernier, Cook, Lerma, Billing; Moore, Solanke.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 3-1
