Bournemouth owner Max Demin is about to cash in his chips for a Las Vegas-backed takeover, but not before cashing out on his gamble to sack Scott Parker.
Gary O’Neil is an unassuming sort, the ying to Parker’s testy yang, but he has fashioned an impressive response to the 9-0 defeat at Anfield which threatened to capsize Bournemouth’s survival fight before it had ever begun.
This was their fifth point in three games and they were excellent value for emerging from St James’ Park with a creditable draw. In Phillip Billing they had the game’s outstanding player and O’Neil’s gameplan was astute and effective. If Bill Foley’s £150m takeover really is complete before the end of October, he could do a lot worse than allowing the caretaker to continue constructing his riposte to those who felt Bournemouth were destined for the drop.
Newcastle were under-par, unable to unpick a defence which was resolute and a pair of holding midfielders who stood firm to nearly everything thrown at them. Joelinton and Kieran Trippier smacked the woodwork in the first half but in truth, they failed to generate enough momentum and Eddie Howe will face the first period of discomfort since he was appointed during the fortnight’s international break.
His Newcastle started the season with promise but the momentum is beginning to dissipate. They have not won since their opening day of the season demolition job on Nottingham Forest and while performances have deserved far more, they looked bereft of ideas for long periods here. How they missed Allan Saint-Maximin, who some have claimed is disposable but would have made a real difference here.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, will wait for their return to action buoyed by this result and the promise of new American investment. Billing’s goal was hardly against the run of play, a smart finish that shocked a surprisingly flat St James’ Park.
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But there was little pressure applied in the final knockings. Even the belated introduction of Chris Wood, surprisingly left on the bench until stoppage time, couldn’t breach a strong Bournemouth rear-guard.
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