Bournemouth's five-game surge keeps rolling

Bournemouth have now won five consecutive games across all competitions, and the latest was a 3-0 dismissal of Aston Villa at home that sent them into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. It was also Bournemouth's first last-eight return in this competition since the 2018/19 season, which gives this run a bit more weight than a single good night.

The goals that settled it

The pattern on the night was clear from early on. Amine Adli scored in the 7th minute from Julio Soler's cross, Lewis Cook doubled the lead in the 51st minute after a mistake from Aston Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot, and Álvaro Rodríguez added the third in the 69th minute. The match produced 36 shots in total, which fits the tempo of a side that kept asking questions rather than managing a narrow lead.

Marco Rose's team are getting end product from different parts of the pitch, and that is what makes the streak feel more sustainable than a lucky cup run. Jay Bothroyd's view on Sky Sports was harsh on Villa's night, calling it a "terrible showing" and a "poor defensive display". Hard to argue with that after a 3-0 home defeat and very little resistance once Bournemouth had their first goal.

Cook's role stood out as well. His goal capped another strong outing, and Adli's early strike plus Rodríguez's first goal in English domestic football gave Bournemouth three different scorers on a night where the attack looked sharp without needing to overcomplicate anything. Five wins in a row, three goals here, and a quarter-final place now set.