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.
