AFC Bournemouth picked up their sixth win in seven matches and climbed into the top half of the table as they beat Fulham 3-0 at Vitality Stadium.
Justin Kluivert gave the Cherries a half-time lead, and Dominic Solanke then scored his 12th Premier League goal of the season, moving joint-second alongside Mohamed Salah in the race for the Castrol Golden Boot, just two goals behind top scorer Erling Haaland.
Luis Sinisterra added gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time as Bournemouth secured their first ever Boxing Day victory in the Premier League and moved six points outside the top six.
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 |
Newcastle United
NEW
|
36 | +22 | 57 |
| 7 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
36 | +12 | 57 |
| 8 |
Manchester United
MUN
|
36 | -4 | 54 |
| 9 |
West Ham United
WHU
|
37 | -12 | 52 |
| 10 |
Brighton & Hove Albion
BHA
|
36 | -4 | 48 |
| 11 |
Bournemouth
BOU
|
37 | -12 | 48 |
| 12 |
Crystal Palace
CRY
|
37 | -6 | 46 |
| 13 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers
WOL
|
37 | -13 | 46 |
How the match unfolded
After an even start from both sides, Bournemouth had a great chance to take the lead just after the 30-minute mark as Kluivert’s effort from close range was blocked brilliantly by Tosin Adarabioyo at the last second.
But Kluivert did put the Cherries ahead just before the break. Summer signing Alex Scott, making only his fifth Premier League appearance for Bournemouth due to injury, dribbled past four players before setting up Kluivert, and the winger’s strike went underneath Bernd Leno and into the net.
Fulham dominated possession in the opening stages of the second half but failed to create a goalscoring opportunity, and they were made to pay for their passive play in the 61st minute.
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Joao Palhinha brought down Antoine Semenyo in the box, and Bournemouth were awarded their first penalty for 609 days. Solanke sent Leno the wrong way from the spot to score in his fifth consecutive league match against Fulham.
Bournemouth appealed for a second penalty just minutes later when Antonee Robinson caught Kluivert with a stray leg, but referee Tim Robinson was not interested.
Sinisterra managed to make it 3-0 in the second minute of stoppage time with a fantastic strike. He cut inside off the left wing and curled the ball into the top-right corner, leaving Leno with no chance.
Key facts
After earning three points from their first nine games in the Premier League this season (W0 D3 L6), Bournemouth have picked up 22 points from their next nine games (W7 D1 L1).
Fulham have lost four consecutive away league matches while conceding 3+ goals in each game for the first time since March 1969.
Justin Kluivert’s goal against Fulham today came 18 years and 236 days after his father Patrick scored his final Premier League goal, which came against the Cottagers in May 2005. The pair have scored eight goals combined in the Premier League, with each goal coming at a different venue.
Dominic Solanke has scored in each of his last five league appearances against Fulham, only scoring more total league goals against Huddersfield Town (6).
