AFC Bournemouth
Enes Ünal played a starring role as AFC Bournemouth wrote a new chapter in club history thanks to a 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
Ünal supplied the assist for Marcos Senesi’s opener and netted the Cherries’ second goal as they registered their highest points total in the Premier League.
The Turkey international’s exploits saw Andoni Iraola’s team climb into tenth place with 48 points, passing their previous best of 46 in 2016/17 when they finished ninth.
Victory, sealed by Justin Kluivert’s finely-taken late goal, also saw the Cherries match another top-flight club record of six successive unbeaten home games, set between May and October 2018.
Senesi drew first blood with a close-range header after 13 minutes, the defender arriving to meet Lewis Cook’s corner which Ünal flicked on.
Ünal, on loan to the Cherries from La Liga outfit Getafe, marked his full Premier League debut with his second goal in the competition, the striker meeting Dango Ouattara’s cross with a thumping header seven minutes after half-time.
Senesi was unfortunate to collect the game’s first booking for an innocuous challenge on João Pedro after just eight minutes.
A penalty appeal fell on deaf ears after Lewis Dunk and Dom Solanke had contested Ünal’s cross, the ball bouncing up and striking the Brighton skipper’s arm.
Senesi opened the scoring in the 13th minute, the defender arriving at the near post to nod home a corner from Lewis Cook after Ünal had flicked it on.
Chance were at a premium during the early stages of the first half, although Mark Travers smothered at his near post after Facundo Buonanotte had burst into the box.
Ünal, teed up by Alex Scott’s cutback after he had robbed Igor Julio of possession, fired wide from just inside the box in the 32nd minute.
Scott was again in the thick of the action when his potshot deflected off Dunk and went out for a corner before Simon Adingra headed over the crossbar after meeting Pascal Groß’s centre.
As the first half drew to a close, Solanke’s low drive from distance was scooped up by Seagulls goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
The Cherries went close to doubling their lead when Justin Kluivert, put through following good work between Ünal and Solanke, could only find the side netting at the start of the second half.
Ünal was unable to gather Antoine Semenyo’s defence-splitting pass before Verbruggen saved, unconvincingly, from the Turkey international’s 30-yard free-kick.
The Cherries made it 2-0 when Ünal outjumped the Brighton defence and planted a firm header past Verbruggen after meeting Dango Ouattara’s hanging cross to the far post.
As the Cherries scented a quickfire third, Verbruggen got down smartly to keep out Kluivert’s low drive after Semenyo had put him in.
Buonanotte had an effort blocked by Kelly and Seagulls substitute Julio Enciso saw two shots flash past the upright.
Another penalty appeal from the Cherries was waved away after Dunk appeared to handle the ball twice as he attempted to charge down a shot by Solanke.
Kluivert completed the scoring three minutes from time, the Dutch international set free by Ryan Christie’s pass before finishing emphatically after stepping inside Dunk.
Victory was marred late on when Semenyo was carried off on a stretcher.
AFC Bournemouth: Travers, Cook, Kelly, Solanke, Ouattara, Scott (Aarons, 77), Smith, Kluivert (Sadi, 90), Semenyo, Senesi (Hill, 90), Ünal (Christie, 67).
Unused subs: Neto (g/k), McKenna (g/k), Dacosta Gonzalez, Kinsey.
Booked: Senesi, Kluivert.
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Julio (Webster, 74), Dunk, João Pedro (Baleba, 87), Gilmour, Groß, Barco, Adingra (Enciso, 66), Buonanotte, Offiah (Veltman, 74), O’Mahony (Welbeck, h/t).
Unused subs: Steele (g/k), Lallana, Moder, Ansu Fati.
Booked: Gilmour, Barco.
Referee: Paul Tierney.
