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Eddie Howe refuses to criticise Harry Arter for penalty miss

Eddie Howe shouts instructions to his team during the Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion
Image: Eddie Howe has backed Harry Arter after the midfielder's penalty miss

Eddie Howe refused to criticise Harry Arter for missing the late penalty which cost Bournemouth victory at Southampton, but said he would have to consider who takes spot kicks in future.

The south coast derby ended 0-0 at St Mary's after Arter slipped during his run-up and struck embarrassingly over the crossbar.

Tottenham's Harry Kane did something similar earlier this season from the same penalty spot, but a bigger concern for Howe is that his team have not scored from their past three penalties.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01:  Harry Arter of AFC Bournemouth reacts as he misses a penalty during the Premier League match between Southampton and AFC
Image: Arter watches his penalty fly over the bar

Howe said: "I don't know where we go next with our penalty taker. We'll have to think about it and see.

"It's obvious he slipped, it's one of those things. No one goes there to miss. I have to respect that people put themselves up for it, because it's a difficult role.

"Josh King would have taken it [but] he goes off, you get the penalty, and Harry takes it. You would ideally think a player shouldn't slip taking a penalty but it's a high-pressure situation and these things happen.

"More pleasing is the fact we're creating those opportunities."

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Adam Smith also struck the post during their improved second-half performance, and asked if he felt his team deserved all three points, Howe responded: "Definitely second half, we were excellent in the closing stages.

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Southampton 0-0 Bournemouth

"We really dominated that last 25 minutes, and created some outstanding opportunities. On another day we'd have scored two or three. It took us until half an hour into the first half to get a foothold.

"[Andrew Surman] twisted his knee in attempting to score from the corner in the first half. We felt he could be good enough second half to go out and perform but he said straight away he was struggling.

"His knee's in a brace now so it looks like he'll be out for a period of time.

"We do have some tough games to come. It was important we got something, it edges us closer to where we want to be."

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