Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron star in gutsy Newcastle United win

Ciaran Clark is congratulated after scoring his goal.

Newcastle United moved up to 11th in the Premier League – after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bournemouth.

It was again the club’s defenders who made the difference up front as the recorded back-to-back wins for the first time in the Steve Bruce era ahead of the international break, though Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron were influential in the final third of the pitch.

DeAndre Yedlin and Ciaran Clark were on target as Bruce’s side came from behind in front of a 44.424 crowd at St James’s Park. The victory, however, came at a cost, as Bruce lost captain Jamaal Lascelles to a first-half injury.

Bruce had named an unchanged side, and his team, pressing high up the pitch, started well. Jetro Willems forced a save from Aaron Ramsdale with a low shot after a mistake from Adam Smith.

Bournemouth, however, took the lead in the 14th minute. A well-worked corner routine led to Harry Wilson, linked with United in the summer, sweeping the ball home from 12 yards.

Lascelles – who had collided with Martin Dubravka early in the game – hobbled out of the game after the goal.

Newcastle fought back, and Saint-Maximin struck the crossbar with a fierce shot before the equaliser.

Almiroin played a cross-field ball to Saint-Maximin on the left, and the winger’s wayward shot was headed home at the far post by Yedlin, who had cleared a shot off the line from Ryan Fraser earlier in the half.

It got better for Newcastle after the break. Federico Fernandez flicked a delivery into the box on for Clark, who scored from close range a week after netting against West Ham United.

Almiron, still looking for his first United goal, had a goal-bound shot stopped by Saint-Maximin.

Newcastle, level on points with eighth-placed Brighton and Hove Albion, take on Aston Villa at Villa Park on November 25.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Dubravka; Yedlin, Fernandez, Lascelles (Dummett, 20), Clark, Willems; Almiron, Hayden, Shelvey, Saint-Maximin (Atsu, 90); Joelinton (Carroll, 83). Subs not used: Darlow, Krafth, M Longstaff, Gayle.

BOURNEMOUTH: Ramsdale; Smith (Danjuma, 79), S Cook, Ake, Rico (Solanke,66); H Wilson (Francis, 66), L Cook, Billing, Fraser; King, C Wilson. Subs not used: Mepham, Stacey, Gosling, Boruc.