The Premier League's most in-form side were held back by a hat-trick of brilliant goals from Justin Kluivert as sloppy Newcastle lost 4-1 to Bournemouth at St James' Park.
Eddie Howe's side had won each of their last nine games in all competitions and were looking for a history-making tenth place, but were unlucky to meet a Bournemouth team in equally high spirits.
The Cherries, who are firmly in the hunt for a European spot, have temporarily surpassed Manchester City in the Premier League and are level on 37 points with Chelsea after a move that sent Newcastle into submission.
Kluivert's first-half double – only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has scored more goals away from home this season – put Bournemouth in a dominant position, sweeping in Antoine Semenyo's low cross in the seventh minute before Dango Ouattara gifted the Dutchman with a second goal just before half-time . time.
In between was a Bruno Guimaraes header that flew through a crowd of players and weaved past Kepa, but the Magpies were disappointingly in second place on another painful afternoon for Howe against his former club.
Things went from bad to worse in the second period, with Kluivert completing a stunning hat-trick in fine style, before a Milos Kerkez stunner rounded off the scoring and capped off a masterful performance from Andoni Iraola's ever-improving Cherries.
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