A heavily rotated Newcastle United were held to a goalless draw away at Bournemouth.
When the teamsheet was announced, it was clear that this game was not going to be an instant classic.
Newcastle United drew 0-0 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in a game which offered very little throughout.
Eddie Howe made seven changes to the side that lost to Barcelona on Thursday evening, with Malick Thiaw making his first start of the season following Fabian Schar’s head injury.
David Brooks had a goal disallowed in the first half, but other than that, there were very few chances for either side. With another point on the board, here is how Newcastle rated on the South Coast.
Nick Pope – 7
Kept relatively quiet thanks to the defenders in front of him. Nick Pope will be more than happy to secure his fourth clean sheet in five Premier League games.
Tino Livramento – 6.5
Back at right-back from the start for the first time this season. Was very, very fortunate that Brooks’ goal was ruled out for offside after 15 minutes. He was caught out for ball watching and nearly paid the price.
Despite the wobble, Tino Livramento had a solid game, just like his defensive partners.
Malick Thiaw – 7
A first start of the season for Thiaw, and he had a lot of work to do against a lively Bournemouth side.
The German seemed to be the last man back on a number of occasions, but he still remained calm throughout. A good showing on his first start.
Dan Burn – 7
Slotted into the middle of a back three against the Cherries, Dan Burn was the experience required to help Sven Botman and Thiaw keep calm under pressure.
Sven Botman – 7
Botman has been very impressive with the limited time he has had on the pitch this season. It would be great to see him get more starts, especially if he plays the way he did against Bournemouth.
The Dutchman made a number of good clearances, and while some of his passing was wayward, he still looked sharp throughout.
Lewis Hall – 6.5
Another player getting their first start of the season, Lewis Hall will be pleased with his return to the starting fold.
Playing a team like Bournemouth is far from easy, but Hall was one of the cogs in a well-oiled machine which kept the Cherries at bay.
Lewis Miley – 7
Sure to be considered a surprise inclusion by some, but Lewis Miley showed why he deserves to start more games for Newcastle.
The youngster kept things tidy in the midfield wherever possible and proved to be a great partner for Sandro Tonali away from home.
Sandro Tonali – 7
A solid showing as usual for the Italian, who kept his place in the starting XI despite running himself into the ground against Barcelona.
Tonali was without his usual midfield partner, Bruno Guimaraes, but that did not seem to have any impact on his performance at all.
Jacob Murphy – 6
Back in from the start for Jacob Murphy, he gave Newcastle the best chance of breaking the deadlock in the game with his impressive runs up the right wing.
Managed to break away from the back line on occasion, but failed to make anything happen.
Nick Woltemade – 6
A quieter showing compared to his debut, focusing more on helping his teammates get in behind by holding up the ball, never had a clear effort on goal.
Was brought down in the area just before the hour mark, with replays showing a tug on his shirt. However, referee Rob Jones waved the game on and VAR deemed the incident a fair one.
Joe Willock – 5
Preferred at left wing to Harvey Barnes after his showing against Barcelona, but Joe Willock failed to make an impact on the South Coast.
The former Arsenal man lacks the necessary skills required to get away from his opponent and win duels. His physicality is also a cause for concern.
Unfortunately, Willock just looks like a shell of his former self.
Substitutes
Harvey Barnes – 6
Made some promising runs, but failed to make any real impact on the game.
Anthony Elanga – 6
A very quiet showing off the bench.
Jamaal Lascelles – 6
His first competitive appearances since March 2024. Jamaal Lascelles kept things clean when he came off the bench.
William Osula – 6
Just a couple of touches late on.
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