Howe’s men left with that sinking feeling TOO LATE FOR CHERRIES
BOURNEMOUTH did everything they could but it was not enough to stay in the Premier League.
The Cherries are back in the Championship despite goals from Josh King, Dominic Solanke and Junior Stanislas seeing off Everton.
But this being just their second win in 13 games is why Eddie Howe’s men are relegated. It will feel like a cruel blow that West Ham could not find a winner against Aston Villa in the dramatic final moments at the London Stadium.
But they needed more performances like this one at Goodison well before the final day to stay up. They needed just one more point to survive but picking up eight from the past 13 games cost them – so did winning just four games in 2020.
Needing favours from Arsenal and West Ham, the Cherries started well, pushing Everton back with Josh King working Jordan Pickford early on. But the danger of their attacking approach was shown when Seamus Coleman waltzed into the area and Aaron Ramsdale had to be alert.
CallumWilson was put clean through not long after but Pickford pulled off a fine save one-on-one to deny him with a strong arm. But it was Richarlison’s arm that cost Everton in the 13th minute as he was penalised for handball in the area.
King stepped up to fire home the spot-kick and Bournemouth now had some hope.
They could have had another penalty soon after but VAR did not think
Lucas Digne’s handball warranted it.
Then four minutes before the break, Everton were level. Theo Walcott put a pass across the goal for Moise Kean to tap home just his second goal since arriving last summer from Juventus. Bournemouth could have been crushed but they responded before half-time.
Diego Rico’s free-kick was attacked by Solanke and Jefferson Lerma, but it was the former who got the touch to put the Cherries back in front.
Bournemouth pushed for a third in the second half while bringing on Philip Billing to tighten up in midfield.
And they secured their part of the bargain in the 80th minute when Stanislas turned
Anthony Gordon and then cut in before firing under Pickford, who should have saved the shot. Then four minutes later, news filtered through that Jack Grealish had scored forVilla.
Howe’s heart must have sunk but then seconds later West Ham had equalised and hope was restored. But it was only going to prolong the pain for the Cherries.
When the final whistle blew at Goodison, they were still playing at the London Stadium. But, as Bournemouth players slowly walked over to the makeshift dressing rooms in the car park, the confirmation came that their five-year stay in the Premier League was over.
EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford 5; Coleman 5 (Sidibe 57, 6), Keane 5, Branthwaite 6, Digne 5 (Baines 70, 6); Davies 6 (Bernard 70, 6), Gomes 6; Walcott 6 (Gordon 57, 6), Sigurdsson 5, Richarlison 6; Kean 6 (Calvert-Lewin 70, 6). Goal: Kean 41. BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-2): Ramsdale 7, Smith 7, Cook 7, Kelly 6, Rico 6; Brooks 6 (Stanislas 64, 7), Gosling 6, Lerma 7, King 8 (H Wilson 88); C Wilson 7, Solanke 7 (Billing 64, 7). Goals: King 13 pen, Solanke 45, Stanislas 80.