Eddie Howe says Newcastle United must ease new signing Nick Woltemade into the fold as they prepare for Sunday's trip to high-flying Bournemouth.

Woltemade joined from Stuttgart in a €90m (£69m) deal in August, with Newcastle also signing Yoane Wissa from Brentford as Alexander Isak was sold to Liverpool.

He marked his debut with the winning goal against Wolves last week as Newcastle earned their first victory of the Premier League season, before being limited to the role of substitute for Thursday's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona.

Woltemade scored 17 goals for Stuttgart last season, though that was the first campaign in which he played over 1,200 minutes in Europe's top five leagues.

"We're going to have to look after Nick, and it's hard enough for him to come into a new league," Howe told reporters on Friday.

"You can see the physical effects he felt against Wolves, then there's the quick turnaround in games here.

"There's no guarantee, even by managing him, that he's going to stay fit and play all the games, but we're going to try and give him the best chance to stay fit, and also acclimatise to the league he's in.

"But he's made a very good start – I thought he did well when he came on [against Barcelona], and he was involved in the goal. Hopefully he'll be in a good place."

While Newcastle are 10th in the table with five points from four matches, Bournemouth are flying high in fourth, winning three straight games after losing 4-2 to Liverpool on the opening matchday.

The Cherries have won four successive games in the competition twice before, in December 2023 and August 2018, with the latter run coming under current Newcastle boss Howe.

Andoni Iraola is expecting an entertaining contest at the Vitality Stadium, saying: "The games we have played against them have been quite open. 

"We have our chances, and they also have their chances, so you never know what's going to happen. We enjoy those games, even if the opposition is very good. We have to be ready."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Bournemouth – Antoine Semenyo

No player has been involved in more Premier League goals this season than Bournemouth's Semenyo (five – three goals, two assists),

Meanwhile, only Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo (five) has created more chances following a carry than Semenyo's four.

Newcastle United – Kieran Trippier 

Newcastle right-back Trippier has made more passes that have broken the opposition's defensive line than any other player in the Premier League this season (nine).

MATCH PREDICTION – BOURNEMOUTH WIN

Newcastle boss Howe has never beaten former side Bournemouth in six attempts in the Premier League (D4 L2).

The Cherries are one of three teams he has faced in the competition and is yet to beat, along with Luton Town (D1 L1) and Manchester City (D2 L16). 

The only manager to take charge of more games against their former Premier League side without winning is Rafael Benitez against Liverpool (seven games).

Newcastle have gone three away Premier League games without scoring (D2 L1), with the last two ending goalless. 

The Magpies last went four in a row without an away goal in December and January in 2020-21, while Leicester City in 1976-77 are the only side to start a top-flight season in England with three goalless draws on the road.

After their 4-1 win at St. James' Park in January, Bournemouth could win back-to-back league meetings with Newcastle for just the second time in their history, after November 2017. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Bournemouth – 38.7%

Newcastle United – 34.8%

Draw – 26.5%