
Newcastle hosts Bournemouth at St James' Park on Saturday as Eddie Howe's side continue their Champions League charge. However, the Cherries are continuing their rise up the Premier League, and took points off their next opponents earlier in the campaign.
Newcastle are the team to watch. Having won their last nine matches across all competitions, Howe's got his team firmly competing for a Champions League spot next season. At home, they've been equally impressive in recent weeks, comfortably beating Wolves, Brentford and Aston Villa within their incredible run.
Their slump at the beginning of the season is well and truly behind them, and Newcastle are hunting down Nottingham Forest in third spot. Next up, however, will be another big test against a Bournemouth side climbing up the table, who are also eyeing up a European spot.
The Cherries under Andoni Iraola are unbeaten in 10 matches and almost leapfrogged Man City into 6th place until Chelsea equalised in their 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Still, their unbeaten run continues and they are seriously threatening to break into the European places and continue their historic rise in the Premier League since their promotion.
Under their Spanish coach, they've gone up a notch and with the sixth best away record in the league, they will make life difficult for Newcastle in front of their own fans.
Bournemouth head into this fixture having only lost one of their last five matches in all competitions against Newcastle. The teams shared a 1-1 draw in round two, where a 76th minute goal from Anthony Gordon rescued a point for the travelling side.
The 23-year-old arrives in fantastic form, having scored in his last four matches, including the last two matches at St James' Park against Bromley and Wolves.
Yet Bournemouth's last trip up north ended in a 2-2 draw having led twice. Antoine Semenyo scored the second that day, and he too is in good form, having scored against West Brom and Chelsea in his last two matches. However, it's worth noting Gordon also scored on that occasion - a sign he'll add to his tally once again this weekend?
With two lengthy unbeaten runs on the line in this week's lunchtime kick-off, there may be nothing to split the two sides who are both competing for European places.
Anthony Gordon is in the form of his life and having scored against Bournemouth in the their last two head-to-heads, it would be foolish to look elsewhere if Newcastle are to get on the scoresheet.
And having scored in all but two home games this season, it's likely Newcastle's ruthless attack can continue to find the back of the net.
But as I've pointed out, it's difficult to write Bournemouth off who have an even more impressive unbeaten run, and were minutes away from heading into this fixture in 6th place above Man City.
These two sides cancelled each other out earlier in the season, and having drawn three of their last five, a lot of factors point towards the draw.
You can back the draw but also Anthony Gordon to find the back of the net with bet365's bet builder at a huge 14/1, and it's a price we're willing to take. Good luck if you're following.
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