Premier League: Four Key Matches That Defined the Relegation Battle
3. November 9, Bournemouth lose a winnable match at St. James Park
Like Aston Villa, Bournemouth started the Premier League season reasonably well. Through their first 11 league matches, they had won four, drew four, and lost three, which put them in 7th in the standings.
Last season, the Cherries finished comfortably in mid-table and were looking to make another small step forward in the Top Flight. Their early start seemed to provide hope that progress was possible.
Unfortunately for Bournemouth, coming into their away match against Newcastle, who was flailing near the bottom of the table, their offensive engine had sputtered like an old station wagon. They scored just one goal (against Manchester United in a 1-0 win) in their last four matches.
Luckily for them, their goalie, 21-year-old Aaron Ramsdale, had strung together three straight clean sheets during the Cherries offensive malaise. The Bournemouth faithful was hoping that a victory against the Magpies would keep the momentum going after winning their last match against United.
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It wasn’t meant to be
The Cherries’ loanee Harry Wilson scored in the 15th minute on an improbable header to put the visitors ahead. The xG on the shot was a meager 0.07.
However, the Magpies’ DeAndre Yedlin and Ciaran Clark scored in the 41st and 51st minutes respectively to give them the 2-1 advantage, which they would not relinquish. The match confirmed the narratives for both clubs this season.
Bournemouth missed two significant scoring opportunities in the match. The first in the eighth-minute when Ryan Fraser‘s shot was saved and in stoppage time when Joshua King missed the goal with a header. The xG on those shots was 0.69 and 0.64, respectively. This would be the theme of their campaign.
Newcastle again found a way to win after being dominated in almost all offensive categories and coming from behind. They would show this intangible grit throughout the season, saving points when they were lost like a sock in a dryer.
After this match, the Cherries would go on to lose their next four games. They would win only three of their last 17 league matches, which would land them in the drop zone.