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Bournemouth produced a stunning display to demolish Nottingham Forest 5-0 on Saturday evening, extending their club-record Premier League unbeaten streak to 11 consecutive games.
The Cherries’ victory propelled them to sixth place on the Premier League table, just a point shy of the top four. Forest, meanwhile, remain third but now hold a slender four-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea.
The highly anticipated match began slowly, with Justin Kluivert’s sublime strike from outside the box in the ninth minute being the only notable highlight of the first half. The Dutch forward’s goal was a show of his exceptional skill, and it gave Bournemouth a crucial early lead.
Both teams struggled to create quality chances despite holding possession, and the first half ultimately ended with Bournemouth holding a narrow 1-0 advantage.
However, the second half was a completely different story. Bournemouth seized control, scoring two quick goals through Dango Ouattara to take a commanding 3-0 lead just after the hour mark. Ouattara’s brace came shortly after Kluivert was denied a spectacular second goal due to an offside call.
The hosts continued to pile on the pressure, and their dominance was rewarded with two further goals in the dying moments. Ouattara completed his hat-trick – Bournemouth’s second in as many matches – and Antoine Semenyo scored a lovely curled strike in stoppage time to cap off a resounding win for the Cherries.
Bournemouth’s impressive performance has left them on course to qualify for Europe, with manager Andoni Iraola deserving huge credit for transforming the team’s fortunes. The Cherries’ attacking stars, including Kluivert, Semenyo, and Ouattara, have all benefited from Iraola’s style of play, which has enabled the team to produce devastating displays like the one against Forest.
The speed and intensity with which Bournemouth defend and attack is simply frightening, and it’s a factor that other teams clearly struggle to cope with. This was evident in their 4-1 win over Newcastle United last weekend, and it was again on display against Forest.
As for Forest, manager Nuno Espirito Santo will be disappointed with his team’s performance, which was a far cry from their usual defensive solidity. The defeat serves as a wake-up call for Forest, highlighting the need for consistency against teams around them if they are to secure European qualification.
