Alexander Isak penalty secures point for Newcastle against Bournemouth

Five points from three games is the sort of tally which, in the right context, can result in caretaker coaches being handed more permanent managerial postings. Throw in a trio of very decent performances since Gary O’Neil took interim charge of Bournemouth in the wake of Scott Parker’s sacking and it is easy to imagine the Las Vegas-based consortium currently in advanced talks to buy the south-coast club from its current owner Maxim Demin wondering whether to stick rather than twist.

Granted Bournemouth spent an awful lot of time without the ball on Tyneside but their positioning while out of possession was so good that Eddie Howe endured a disappointing afternoon against the club he was once synonymous with. Newcastle’s manager had been anxious for his team to register a second league win of the season against the side he led to three promotions in six years, but it was not to be.

Philip Billing, the scorer of the fine goal which gave Bournemouth a surprise lead, excelled in midfield where he interrupted a litany of moves from the home side. Marcus Tavernier and Neto were particularly impressive in defence for Bournemouth, and O’Neil looked by far the happier manager as a smattering of boos greeted the final whistle.

Despite considerable early pressure from Newcastle, the first real chance fell to Bournemouth. With Nick Pope caught in no man’s land after rather half-heartedly stepping off his line and finding himself unable to reach Jordan Zemura’s cross, Marcus Tavernier was nearly able to capitalise but sent his header looping narrowly wide.

Tavernier’s bright counterattacking wing play would prove a recurring theme of a first half in which, courtesy of much assiduous defending, O’Neil’s side succeeded in frustrating