Norwich leave Howe deep in the mire after Cook’s costly red card
Eddie Howe suffered a damaging defeat in the battle of the Premier League’s bottom two but refused to blame captain Steve Cook’s extraordinary red card – even though the Bournemouth manager feels it cost them the game.
There was disbelief around Carrow Road at the manner of Cook’s 31st-minute sending-off, as he produced a scarcely believable handball while it was 0-0, stretching out his right arm like a goalkeeper to keep out an Ondrej Duda strike, leading to a penalty that Teemu Pukki scored from.
The chaos did not end there as Norwich were also eventually reduced to 10 men, for the final 15 minutes, when the referee used the pitchside monitor to reach his decision of dismissing Ben Godfrey, amid heated scenes that involved opposing players having to be separated.
“The red card has decided the game,” Howe said. “I thought it was Aaron [Ramsdale, the Bournemouth goalkeeper] that had saved it initially. It was pure instinct from Steve. Of course, if he had thought about it, I think he would have let it go by. You have to support him. A feeling of blame isn’t going to help us as a group.”
Howe admitted it was “not ideal” that the referee was pressurised while the Godfrey decision was made and said “it is something that needs to be thought about”. Godfrey had initially been shown a yellow card for a challenge on Callum Wilson by the onpitch referee. The video assistant referee recommended that he should go to the referee review area.
Free-falling Bournemouth have now lost 10 of their last 12 – and are just three points clear of Norwich. That run has caused them to plummet from seventh place. Howe’s team have lost four consecutive league fixtures without scoring for the first time since 2012, when they were in the third tier. Northe had the bulk of possession in the early stages then deservedly went in front. Todd Cantwell had played a brilliant pass for Pukki, who had his effort blocked by Ramsdale. The ball fell for new on-loan signing Duda, whose shot prompted Cook’s calamity.
Daniel Farke’s team held on to end their nine-game winless run in the league. This was only Norwich’s third clean sheet of the season – and first at Carrow Road. Godfrey’s suspension is a blow though.
Farke said: “Ben is a really good lad. And an expression of our way. Sometimes our youth leads to naivety. But it was not bad intention. He was just overexcited and over-emotional when we lost the ball. He apologised immediately to Callum.”