Eddie Howe Bemoans Bournemouth's Sloppy Finishing as Cherries Slump to 2-0 Defeat at Everton

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe criticised his side for their poor finishing against Everton on Sunday, as the Cherries lost 2-0 at Goodison Park.

The visitors were arguably the better side for much of the game, with Welsh starlet David Brooks rattling the post with a first half effort. However, Kurt Zouma's 61st minute effort gave Everton the lead, before - despite a spirited attempt by the Cherries to find an equaliser - substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin made it 2-0 with a stoppage time goal.

Speaking after the loss, via Sky Sports, Howe said: "It was really harsh on us today. I'm really proud of the players' efforts. We competed in a really tough game and we had our moments as well but we didn't take our chances. The scoreline doesn't reflect the performance. We pressed well, we competed well and we nullified Everton's strengths for large parts of the game.

"The goal was a huge moment that we didn't defend well enough. Our goalkeeper hasn't had to make a save in the entire match. It's been a similar theme in recent weeks - we concede out of nowhere and don't take our chances when they come."

Bournemouth's loss saw them finish the weekend in 12th place, with their hopes of achieving Europa League qualification fading rapidly. Having struggled on the road of late, Howe's side will be relieved that their next two matches are at Vitality Stadium, as they take on West Ham next weekend, before a big midweek clash against Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea.

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Meanwhile, the Cherries are believed to be preparing to offer Brooks a new contract doubling his existing pay, despite him joining the club just last summer. The 21-year-old is believed to on the radar of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, and the south coast side are thought to be desperate to keep their player at the club.