Bournemouth now lose key player for trip to St James’ Park


 
 
 
 
 
 

Bournemouth have had an interesting season so far.

In their first 11 Premier League matches they picked up only one win and looked in serious relegation trouble.

Then winning 2-0 against Newcastle United in November kicked off a sequence of six wins and a draw in the next seven.

Summing up the ebbs and flows possible in the Premier League, Bournemouth now on a run of no wins and only two points from their last four PL matches.

Up against Newcastle United in 12 days time at St James’ Park, Bournemouth will have to do it without key midfielder Philip Billing.

Eddie Howe signed Billing in 2019 from Huddersfield and he has proved a great buy, since returning to the Premier League, the midfielder has scored 10 PL goals in 2021/22 and then seven in 2022/23, including one at SJP in a 1-1 draw last season.

However, after Bournemouth went 1-0 up early on yesterday, Forest then equalised and with six minutes to go, Philip Billing getting a straight red which will mean three games out, including the trip to Newcastle.

These of course are Newcastle’s next two opponents who were playing each other, the game ending 1-1.

Another player set to miss facing Newcastle is Chris Wood next Saturday, he has picked up a hamstring injury and wasn’t involved against Bournemouth. He is their top scorer with eight goals (Forest have only scored 28 PL goals in total), the next highest only five.

One player who was involved though, was Matz Sels. Signed on deadline day for a reported £5m, he made his Forest debut and conceded after only five minutes, though keeping his goal intact after that.

He now looks sure to face Newcastle United at the City Ground on Saturday, some six and a half years after finally leaving NUFC on a permanent basis.

Newcastle United confirmed matches to early March 2024:

Saturday 10 February 2024 – Forest v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 17 February 2024 – Newcastle v Bournemouth (3pm)

Saturday 24 February 2024 – Arsenal v Newcastle (8pm) TNT Sports

Tuesday 27 February 2024 – Blackburn v Newcastle (7.45pm) BBC1

Saturday 2 March 2024 – Newcastle v Wolves (3pm)