Saturday’s match ended Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 2.
Ahead of each game we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the game.
Plenty to talk about after this Bournemouth one…
A match that saw Newcastle United manage to equalise and then look (not by much!) the better team, only to then concede with five minutes left on the clock.
On this occasion it is ‘Matt Busby said to Joe Harvey…’:
POSITIVES
Bruno and Will
How we have missed our talismanic captain.
I read that the medical team had advised against him being involved but there seemed no other option and shortly after the hour, Bruno entered the fray.
That lifted the spirits around SJP and soon after we were level. Will Osula, who is currently keeping £120 million of attacking options out of the first eleven scored again; it’s just a pity his goals in consecutive matches haven’t earned us anything.
The PIF are coming to town
It’s been reported that senior staff at Newcastle United have been informed by the Saudi Arabia PIF majority owners that they are fully committed and are looking to really push the club forward. Indeed, it seems that a delegation from Saudi Arabia is due on Tyneside the week after next.
With Newcastle United’s current downward trajectory and uncertainties in the middle east caused by the Iranian conflict, that sounds positive and reassuring.
Show Racism the Red Card
As the team walked onto the pitch at St James’ Park yesterday, banners were held aloft across the stadium marking the first 11 Black footballers to represent Newcastle United.
This was part of the 30th anniversary of Show Racism the Red Card (SRTRC), a campaign born on Tyneside, for which our community should be rightly proud of.
NEGATIVES
No longer a fortress
That was our seventh league defeat at St James’ Park this season. One more, (with two games left, it feels like there’s every chance of that occurring) and we’ll have matched the number of home losses Steve Bruce presided over back in 2020/21.
Teams no longer fear a trip to St James’ Park. If it was ever a fortress, it’s walls have long been breached.
Listless and lacklustre
Newcastle United have lost eight of their last eleven Premier League games, with only Tottenham Hotspur exhibiting worse top-tier form during 2026, and just look at where they are!
It’s not hard to understand or explain that extremely worrying statistic when you consider yesterday’s performance.
There’s little in the way of attacking intent and we are losing far too many soft goals.
The two we conceded yesterday being very much a case in point; runners weren’t tracked, and there was no fight in the six yard box when it mattered.
The future feels uncertain
There’s plenty of Newcastle United fans not demanding the manager’s head…but there’s plenty who are.
As this malaise continues, the negativity ramps up. Yesterday did not help matters.
Boos around the stadium at half time and full time. Whilst it was then like a morgue walking down the hill and back into town.
Newcastle 1 Bournemouth 2 – Saturday 18 April 2026 3pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Osula 68
Bournemouth:
Tavernier 32, Truffert 85
Possession was Newcastle 54% Bournemouth 46%
Total shots were Newcastle 12 Bournemouth 12
Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Bournemouth 3
Corners were Newcastle 2 Bournemouth 3
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 40 Bournemouth 24
Newcastle team v Bournemouth:
Ramsdale, Livramento (Burn 74), Thiaw, Botman, Hall (Trippier 46), Miley, Tonali (Woltemade 86), Ramsey (Bruno 62), Osula, Barnes, Elanga (Jacob Murphy 62)
Unused subs:
Pope, Wissa, Alex Murphy, Willock