Bournemouth did not deserve to lose to Aston Villa, says Eddie Howe

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe felt his side were the better team, despite losing 1-0 to Aston Villa on their Premier League debut on Saturday.

Newly promoted Bournemouth were beaten by a Rudy Gestede header 18 minutes from time, with Howe lamenting the Cherries' failure to take a host of openings either side of half-time.

"I felt for long periods of the game we were the better team,” Howe said after the match. “But as we know at this level we need to be clinical at both ends and unfortunately we missed several chances and were made to pay from a set piece.

“I thought we started the game excellently at a high tempo and caused Aston Villa problems. But when the chances came, we really needed to be more clinical in those areas.

"But I still felt even in the second half that we were well in the game, and we were obviously looking and searching for the three points, but it just did not come.”

Howe was particularly disappointed by the nature of Villa’s winner, coming as it did via set play from a player Bournemouth know all about from last season in the Championship.

I felt for long periods of the game we were the better team. But as we know at this level we need to be clinical at both ends.

“That is what Gestede does well, we know that from the Championship days, so it is no surprise,” he said. “A ball in the box and we did not defend it well enough. So obviously lessons learned from that perspective.”

However, Howe was still able to take some positives out of the day, despite Bournemouth’s defeat, with the home fans making it an occasion to remember at Dean Court as the south coast club enjoyed their first-ever experience of the Premier League.

“It was a great day for the football club regardless of the result, the day we played our first game in the Premier League,” Howe added. “So it was a special occasion and we are really disappointed we could not back it up with the result, but I felt the performance was nearly there.”

One player who caught Howe’s eye was new signing Max Gradel, with the Ivorian forward earning warm praise from the Cherries manager after the full-time whistle.

“I thought he did really well, a little cameo performance from Max, he was technically very good and caused Villa problems, so really pleased with him and he will hopefully be a good signing for us,” said Howe.

The fixtures only get tougher now for Bournemouth though, with Howe next taking his team to Anfield to face Liverpool on Monday Night Football, a challenge the young coach is relishing.

“We will really enjoy going to Anfield and it is going to be a tough game for us, there is no doubt about that, but it will hopefully be an occasion that we can enjoy,” he said.

“Obviously we are disappointed in defeat. We will look at it, analyse it and try and improve.”