THE Cherries brought all three points back to the south coast with a thrilling 4-2 victory over former boss Gary O’Neil’s Wolves.
A hattrick of penalties from Justin Kluivert and Milos Kerkez’s first goal for AFC Bournemouth saw the visitors emerge victorious at Molineux.
Here’s how the Daily Echo rated each of the Cherries players in a dramatic game in the midlands.
Kepa Arrizabalaga: 6
The keeper had a solid game – as with the Brighton match, there was not much he could have done with either goal and he controlled his area well.
Milos Kerkez: 7
The young Hungarian was a threat overlapping on the left throughout the game, as usual, and he netted his first Cherries goal doing just that.
It was a fantastic finish at the end of a flowing Bournemouth move, as he smashed the ball home into the top corner, via a slight deflection.
Marcos Senesi: 6
Yet another good display at the centre of the Bournemouth defence from Senesi. The Argentine played a magnificent long ball to Evanilson in the opening minutes of the game for the striker to win the first penalty of the afternoon and was solid defensively in an open game.
Illia Zabarnyi: 6
The Ukrainian had a good game in defence, too. He did lose his man as Jorgen Strand Larsen headed home for the first Wolves goal, but he was otherwise good at the back. Both he and Senesi were good at keeping the Wolves forward line quiet.
A good game from the skipper, as above, helping the Cherries defensive unit keep a dangerous forward line quiet for much of the 90 minutes, limiting them to just three shots on target.
Ryan Christie: 7
A fine return to the starting 11 from the Scot, pulling the strings in the midfield in attack and giving a good defensive showing, too.
Tyler Adams: 6
The American was good in midfield and worked well in the absence of Lewis Cook, breaking up play effectively and disrupting the Wolves attack in a game where at times there was a lot of space in midfield for both sides.
Tavernier combined well with his fellow forwards and set up Kerkez’s goal with a perfectly weighted pass to the onrushing left back.
David Brooks: 6
A good return to the starting lineup from Brooks, who was sharp and energetic. I don’t know if he’s done enough to keep his starting berth with Antoine Semenyo set to return from suspension in midweek, but the Welshman plays an important role in the Cherries squad, even if it is from the bench.
Justin Kluivert: 8
The Dutchman will receive much of the focus from this game, becoming the first player in Premier League history to score a hattrick of penalties. He took each of them brilliantly, pausing for Jose Sa to move for the first, smashing it quickly home for the second and then staying composed and stroking home for the third.
Besides the penalties, he was a threat throughout going forward and linked up well with the Cherries forward line which looks ever more the cohesive unit.
While Kluivert will get the focus for his hattrick, Evanilson was man of the match for me (and for Andoni Iraola, going by his post-match comments!).
The Brazilian was excellent. He showed fantastic vision to read the game for two of the penalties he won, dispossessing Sa and drawing the foul. For the first, the striker did very well to bring the ball under control from Senesi’s long ball and then drive into the box to be brought down by Toti.
A threat throughout, Evanilson seems to have settled into the league – and looks every bit the Premier League striker.
Substitutions:
Dean Huijsen: 6
Dango Ouattara: 6
Enes Unal: 6
Philip Billing: 6
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