Gary O'Neil has suggested that Bournemouth came 'closest' to ending Newcastle United's unbeaten run in the Premier League after his side gave the Magpies 'a real good run for their money'.
Bournemouth may have been languishing in 19th place, but the Cherries did not look like a team who had not won a game since November on Saturday night. Newcastle just did not match Bournemouth's intensity at the Vitality Stadium in the opening stages and Marcos Senesi gave the hosts a deserved lead on the half-hour mark.
However, Joe Willock's injury and the introduction of Anthony Gordon from the bench in a free role through the middle briefly unsettled Bournemouth in the 39th minute. O'Neil even admitted he was 'desperate' to get to half-time at 1-0 up to address the visitors' change of shape before Gordon played his part in the build-up to Miguel Almiron's equaliser just before the break.
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The momentum appeared to be with Newcastle, but Eddie Howe's side were unable to find a winner in the second half. Alexander Isak and Gordon both had decent chances to put Newcastle in front, but the pair failed to hit the target and it was Bournemouth who ultimately came closest to taking all three points at the death when Dominic Solanke's back-heeled finish was cleared off the line by Kieran Trippier.
That intervention preserved Newcastle's 17-game unbeaten record in the Premier League, which stretches back to August, and the Magpies have the longest undefeated streak of any side in Europe's top five leagues. O'Neil, as a result, took a lot of encouragement from Bournemouth's display - even if Newcastle were clearly not at their best.
"Newcastle are a good side," the Bournemouth boss told Sky Sports. "We gave them a real good run for their money.
"They have not lost in 17 and I would suggest that's maybe the closest they have come. I thought we were the stronger team towards the end of the match. We looked a real threat."
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