Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe says his side’s dominant victory over Brighton proves they are good enough to survive in the Premier League.
While the Cherries remain in the bottom three, victory lifts them up a place to 18th and eases some of the pressure on the 42-year-old, while Brighton is two points ahead in 15th.
A Harry Wilson strike, Pascal Gross’ own-goal and Callum Wilson’s first goal for 16 league games ended Bournemouth’s six-game winless run, with Aaron Mooy scoring late on for the Seagulls.
“It feels big at the moment, but time will tell,” Howe said. “We knew how big tonight was in so many different ways.
“There’s a lot of clubs up and down the country that maybe wouldn’t have been given the time and support that we have, and we have to recognise that and show our appreciation.
“It’s not that the team’s not good enough – we are good enough, we just need that feeling that we can play the football that we want to, freely, and with total belief and no doubts.
“We’re desperate to retain our Premier League status and stay here – I love the division, I love everything about it, and I know how important it is for the club.”
This was a welcome return to winning ways for Bournemouth who arrived at this fixture having taken just four points from the previous 36 available to them.
The Cherries also possessed the worst home record in the top flight prior to kick-off, something that seemed unimaginable back on 2 November, when they last won at home by beating Manchester United to move up to seventh in the table.
And, as Brighton took charge in the first half-hour, it looked like another game was passing them by until a superb save from home keeper Aaron Ramsdale to deny Neal Maupay, and an equally important Nathan Ake block on Maupay’s follow up, seemed to turn the contest around.
The hosts, who had not had an effort on goal of any description until then, suddenly sparked into life as Callum Wilson’s influence grew.
Howe’s side created three chances in quick succession before Harry Wilson kept his cool to dispatch a low drive past Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan from 12 yards.
Callum Wilson’s jostling presence contributed to their second, with the ball flicking off his marker Gross from a Diego Rico corner.
The forward then rounded Ryan for the third – calmly rolling the ball in from close range – to show that he has not lost his composure in front of goal during a period in which Bournemouth have averaged less than three shots on target per game.
You might also like – Man United hit with FA charge for failing to control players
Man United hit with FA charge for failing to control players. Goals from Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah sealed the win for the Reds to take them 16 points clear at the summit of the Premier League. Manchester United have been charged for failing to control their players in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side also had two goals ruled out in the first half with Gini Wijnaldum straying narrowly offside after Roberto Firmino thought he had ended a season-long drought at Anfield before the half-hour mark. read more
Source – Sport365coza
