Newcastle vs Bournemouth - Predicted line-ups and match preview
Newcastle return to Premier League action at St James' Park this Saturday, taking on a Bournemouth side who've been our bogey team in recent times.
We've not beaten the Cherries in 90 minutes since a 1-0 win in 2022, but this really is starting to feel like 'Newcastle United 2.0' following a strong start to 2026/27.
Matthias Jaissle has made an immediate impression, on and off the touchline, revitalising the squad and looking every bit the real deal, even if it's early days. Our summer business has gone from strength to strength, and we've kicked off the campaign with two wins and a draw in all competitions, with our last match a convincing 2-0 win at Spurs, where transformed duo Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa stepped up once again.
One of the craziest summer windows in Newcastle history is now over, but it ended on such a high, with a £100m double swoop for Champions League players in Nico Gonzalez and Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who look set to make their St James' Park debuts this weekend.
This won't be an easy game, mind. Not only have Bournemouth caused us all sorts of problems in this fixture recently, but they've also been better than their points tally (1) suggests in their opening two league games under new boss Marco Rose.
They were 1-0 up at Man City until the 84th minute, then lost in stoppage time thanks to Josko Gvardiol's late winner, then were seconds away from beating Everton last weekend before James Tarkowski's leveller. So, like Newcastle, they could easily be sat on four points, not one.
Who starts?
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Hornicek - Dedic, Thiaw, Botman, Hall - Gonzalez, Miley - Elanga, Willock, Barnes - Wissa.
This one feels pretty simple, even if there'll be a clamour to see £51m new boy Fernandez-Pardo thrown in from the start.
Since the final day of the Ligue 1 season in mid-May, the 21-year-old has played less than 80 minutes of football, having featured briefly at the World Cup and for so little of Lille's pre-season.
As a result, I'm confident Joe Willock keeps his place in that No.10 role, just behind Yoane Wissa, with Will Osula still sidelined with a foot injury.
Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga will continue out wide, while Nico Gonzalez and Lewis Miley look like the midfield duo to beat after such a strong showing at Spurs last Saturday.
The back four then picks itself. Dan Burn and Tino Livramento remain out, although neither would start if fit, based on Sven Botman and Amar Dedic's strong displays to kick off 2026/27.
Predicted Bournemouth XI: Petrovic - Smith, Hill, Silva, Truffert - Cook, Scott - Rayan, Kluivert, Tavernier - Evanilson.
Who wins?
Bournemouth will come to win and have a go, which might just play into our hands, given Jaissle's love for fast attacks and the pace we possess up top.
This team looks confident, organised, boosted by the transformative arrival of Gonzalez and eager to build on our strong start to 2026/27, with Fernandez-Pardo's exciting arrival only adding to the feel-good factor around St James' Park.
I think both teams will score, but back Jaissle's Mags to edge Bournemouth out and Wissa to be in the goals again in a 2-1 home win.
Prediction: Newcastle 2-1 Bournemouth
Howay the lads!
