Sad Howe admits: It’s my fault that we came up short

IT WILL be of no consolation to Eddie Howe that there were echoes of the expressive, imaginative Bournemouth of old on the afternoon that brought the curtain down on their five years in the Premier League. Man for man, they were on a different plain to a desultory and utterly ineffectual Everton — the club Howe supported as a boy. Amid these last knockings, Howe’s side revealed flair, fluidity, confidence. Josh King (pictured), Callum Wilson and David Brooks operated with intelligence and vision in front of Everton’s defence. Dan Gosling eased through Everton from deeplying midfield. But there is a reckoning, after all, for a porous defence and for a desperate string of results since the restart — weeks in which Howe’s side have struggled to find form and in which he has struggled to motivate them. Bournemouth’s Premier League adventure also began to unravel because of some deeply questionable work in the transfer market. The £20million paid to Liverpool for striker Dominic Solanke is a metaphor for that, though he did head Diego Rico’s free kick beyond Jordan Pickford on the stroke of half-time. The exodus will begin now — including Nathan Ake and David Brooks, who was excellent as the sun set on the adventure. Howe seemed to imply last night that he needs to be sure of Bournemouth owner Maxim Demin’s ambitions for the club, which he has brought up from League Two, before deciding on his future. ‘The next step for me is to speak to the owner and the directors and see where we go from here,’ Howe said. ‘We need to have a strong vision for the future. My commitment to the club is not in question.’ There will certainly be grave financial consequences for a side who have depended hugely on Premier League TV money. ‘I feel very emotional. Very disappointed, sad and dejected — loads of different things,’ Howe added. ‘They are difficult emotions to feel. I would like to say sorry (to the fans) really. We haven’t been good enough this year. I take full responsibility.’ The standard of Everton’s football was testament to their lowest Premier League finish since 2004 and only Seamus Coleman could take away much credit. They have also bought dreadfully and have a huge job with a new season 50 days away. Now Leighton Baines, one of the few leaders, is retiring after a 420-game career here, despite manager Carlo Ancelotti’s attempts to persuade him to stay. Bournemouth, who were aware of events elsewhere because the Goodison scoreboards flashed up the other scores, went ahead through a King penalty after Richarlison handled. But Bournemouth’s defensive failings were still there and Theo Walcott crossed for an equaliser which was walked in by Moise Kean. Everton were semi-detached after the interval to put it mildly and Bournemouth’s third was dispatched under Jordan Pickford by Junior Stanislas. At the end, Howe gave an interview to Bournemouth local radio — hoping that this would not be the end for him, Bournemouth and the Premier League.

EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Coleman (Sidibe 58min), Keane, Branthwaite, Digne (Baines 71); Gomes, Davies (Bernard 70); Walcott (Gordon 58), Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Kean (Calvert-Lewin 71). Subs not used: Stekelenburg, Joao Virginia, Baningime, Simms. Booked: Keane.

BOURNEMOUTH (4-4-1-1): Ramsdale; Smith, S Cook, Kelly, Rico; Brooks, Gosling (Stanislas 64), Lerma, King 8 (H Wilson 89); Solanke (Billing 64); C Wilson. Subs not used: Boruc, Stacey, Ake, L Cook, Billing, Danjuma, Surridge. .

Man of the match: King. Referee: Chris Kavanagh.