Bournemouth forward Junior Kroupi is one of the best young players in the world, his team-mate James Hill declared ahead of Saturday's Premier League trip to Newcastle United. 

Kroupi scored the opening goal as Bournemouth stunned leaders Arsenal last weekend, earning a 2-1 success at the Emirates Stadium.

They are now unbeaten in a club-record 12 games in the top flight and sit just three points off the top six.

Kroupi has scored in back-to-back games for the third time this season, having also netted in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United prior to the international break. He previously had a three-match scoring run in September and October and netted in Bournemouth's first two games of 2026.

"He's frightening," Hill told Bournemouth's website of Kroupi. "Not just in the Premier League, I think he's one of the best in the world for his age and he is only going to get better.

"He's come on in leaps and bounds throughout the season. It's a tough team to come into, with it being his first season as well, but he came in and hit the ground running.

"You can see what a fantastic player he is. He just needs to keep going until the end of the season."

Bournemouth received some disappointing news on Tuesday as head coach Andoni Iraola announced he will step down at the end of the season, bringing an end to a wildly successful three-year stint on the south coast.

Reports have suggested Iraola wishes to return to his native Spain, and full-back Hill is determined to make a success of his final campaign.

"We know our season isn't over until the last whistle goes so we've got to keep pushing in every game," Hill added. "We've got to put it to bed now and move on to the next one.

"The sky is the limit for the boys in this team. Towards the end of the season, we're just thinking about the next game and we've just got to keep pushing."

Newcastle, meanwhile, sit 14th in the table following Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, which brought renewed scrutiny of Eddie Howe's position.

But the Magpies boss is aware how quickly the external noise can change, saying: "A couple of games ago, we beat Chelsea away and we beat Manchester United. 

"Then you sit here off the back of a disappointing run, and the outside noise is to change everything. Sometimes you have got to believe in what you do but, of course, we have to execute better."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Newcastle United – Lewis Miley

Miley has been involved in 10 Premier League goals (three goals, seven assists) overall. 

At 19 years old, he is only the second Newcastle teenager to get to double figures for goals and assists in the competition, after Charles N'Zogbia (five goals, nine assists). N'Zogbia's last game as a teenager was in May 2006 – the same month Miley was born.

Bournemouth – Junior Kroupi

Kroupi has 10 Premier League goals for Bournemouth this season, with Romelu Lukaku the last player to score more times in a season as a teenager, in 2012-13 for West Brom (14). 

In addition, Kroupi's 28% shot-conversion rate is the best of any teenager to have 30+ shots in a Premier League season since Opta records began in 2003-04.

MATCH PREDICTION – NEWCASTLE UNITED WIN

Newcastle are winless in their last seven Premier League games against Bournemouth, with five of those finishing level (L2).

The Cherries have also won three of their seven Premier League away games against Newcastle (D2 L2), only winning more on the road at Wolves in the competition (four).

The Magpies have also conceded in all seven of their Premier League home games against Bournemouth, the most they have faced a side without registering a single clean sheet at St James' Park in the competition.

Howe's men have lost seven of their last 10 Premier League matches (W3) – since the start of this run on January 25, only Spurs have lost as many games as the Magpies (also seven).

The Opta supercomputer still makes them favourites at home, but the Magpies face a tough task – outside of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, the last team to enjoy a longer unbeaten Premier League run than Bournemouth were Newcastle in 2022-23 (17 games).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Newcastle United – 45.6%

Bournemouth – 27.6%

Draw – 26.8%