Bournemouth thrash West Brom
Bournemouth 5 - 1 West Bromwich Albion
Bournemouth delivered a dazzling comeback to beat managerless West Brom 5-1 and secure their place in the FA Cup fourth round, with Dango Ouattara netting twice.
The Baggies, under caretaker boss Chris Brunt, struck first when Caleb Taylor reacted quickest to head in a rebound after Grady Diangana's shot crashed off the bar.
However, Bournemouth's Premier League class soon showed. Justin Kluivert equalised, pouncing on a parried save from David Brooks' effort to slot home from close range. Kluivert then turned provider, threading a clever reverse pass to Ouattara, who fired past the keeper from a tight angle to make it 2-1.
Ouattara added a second before the break, finishing off a swift counter-attack after being played through by Brooks. The goals kept coming in the second half, with Brooks setting up substitute Antoine Semenyo to smash in Bournemouth’s fourth shortly after his introduction.
There was still time for Daniel Jebbison to grab his first goal for the club in stoppage time, running onto Semenyo’s through-ball to seal an emphatic win.
The result extends Bournemouth's unbeaten streak to nine games, solidifying their impressive form under Andoni Iraola. Meanwhile, West Brom return their focus to the Championship and finding a new manager, with Raphael Wicky, formerly of Basel and Young Boys, tipped to take over following Carlos Corberan’s Christmas Eve departure to Valencia.
Can Bournemouth dare to dream of Wembley?
Despite their impressive form, Bournemouth face a striker crisis. Both Evanilson and Enes Unal have suffered significant injuries this month, with Evanilson sidelined following foot surgery and Unal tearing his ACL in training.
The club recalled Daniel Jebbison from his loan spell at Watford, and while the 21-year-old marked his return with a late goal, he’s unlikely to lead their charge for European football. Manager Andoni Iraola has already confirmed Bournemouth will be looking for reinforcements up front during the January transfer window.
Fortunately, they aren’t short of attacking firepower. Kluivert, Ouattara, and Semenyo are all proven finishers, and with David Brooks pulling the strings in midfield, the goals have continued to flow.
Kluivert scored his seventh goal of the season against West Brom, while Ouattara, usually deployed as a winger but thriving in a central role, has now scored five goals, including four in his last six appearances. Semenyo, meanwhile, has taken his tally to six after his impact off the bench.
Bournemouth fans will be dreaming of a deep FA Cup run—and with this kind of form, Wembley may not be out of reach.
