TEAM NEWS: Isak, Bruno & Botman start - Confirmed Newcastle and Bournemouth line-ups
The team sheets are in at St James' Park ahead of our 12.30pm kick-off against Bournemouth.
A win would not only be Eddie Howe's first over former club Bournemouth, but would make him the first Newcastle manager to win 10-straight games.
Here's the side he's gone with against Andoni Iraola's Cherries, who are on a great run themselves with no defeats in their last 10:
Confirmed Newcastle line-up
Newcastle XI: Dubravka; Livramento, Botman, Burn, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Vlachodimos, Trippier, Schar, Osula, Almiron, Kelly, Willock, Longstaff, Miley
Howe has named an unchanged side from our 3-0 win over Wolves in midweek.
Fabian Schar missed out through illness on Wednesday but he is back in the squad, replacing Emil Krafth.
Absent once again are Nick Pope, Harvey Barnes, Callum Wilson and Jamaal Lascelles, while Miguel Almiron is in the squad, perhaps for the final time.
For Bournemouth, they are without a senior striker - Evanilson and Enes Unal are injured - and right-backs Smith, Araujo and Hill are all out, meaning Lewis Cook starts at right-back.
Bournemouth XI: Arrizabalaga, Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Christie, Adams, Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo, Ouattara
Howe's pre-match quotes
Speaking to the media ahead of the game yesterday, Howe had this to say on the prospect of 10-straight wins, the players' mindset and the test Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth will pose:
On the potential of 10-straight wins – “We have actually been quite relaxed during this run, we have not talked about it, it is just about going onto the next game. Of course, we want to win and keep the run going as long as we can, but it is always about how we play in the next match.”
On the players’ mindset – “The players have been very mature in their response in this winning run, the players are seeing this as an expectation they have rather than surpassing expectations. They are keeping the focus. There is a belief in the squad we have good players, and we can win games, for us it is just about remaining focused and looking ahead to the next game.”
On Bournemouth test – “I like how they play. They have had some remarkable turnarounds in games where they have been losing and have had a late period of momentum to win. Their spirit is undeniable. Very difficult to play against, a really good game, two teams with mirroring styles but it will be two teams trying to win.”
Let's hope we can keep this incredible run going.
HOWAY THE LADS!
