EDDIE Howe said he would never abandon his footballing principles for fear of boring Cherries supporters and losing the faith of his players.

The much-hyped Red Monday clash between Liverpool and Manchester United failed to produce the riveting contest millions of television viewers had tuned in to see.

Jose Mourinho, in particular, received a deluge of criticism for the manner in which his United side closed ranks after half-time at Anfield to secure their 0-0 draw.

Former Cherries boss Harry Redknapp weighed into the debate, saying that football “belongs to the people” and, accordingly, managers have an obligation to send their teams out to entertain.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “Ultimately, the brief here is to win. When you’re a manager, you have to try to win games and get points.

“You then need to build a philosophy around that which gives you the best chance to win. That’s how we base what we do.

“Also, of course, there’s definitely a responsibility to entertain, to get people to want to come back each week to watch their team. I’d be desperately disappointed if people came and were bored by what they saw.”

Cherries did not take a backward step against any opponent during their debut Premier League campaign last season.

And they have continued in the same vein this term and Howe insists he would never ask his team to veer away from their open, enterprising style.

“I think it’s very difficult to change,” he added. “What you do when you change philosophies or game plans, even for a half, is give mixed messages to the players.

“If you really believe in something – and you need your players to believe in it – you can’t compromise those beliefs.

“You can’t change for 45 minutes, half-an-hour or 20 minutes because then the players get confused and they don’t know what’s expected of them. So I’d always stick to the ideals I have. It doesn’t mean they can’t be tweaked and moulded but they definitely can’t be changed.”

Jack Wilshere and Jordon Ibe have enabled Howe to tinker with his formula to a degree this season. Looking further into the future, he views the attractive, relentless style of football perfected by today’s opponents Tottenham as a model to aspire to.

“I think we’re slightly different this season,” said Howe. “We have different personnel. I don’t think much has changed in terms of our style of play, with or without the ball. I just think the changes in personnel make us a slightly different team and the dynamics are slightly different.

“You can see the team spirit of Tottenham from the work rate and attitude of their players. They’re a very close-knit group and I admire their attacking play as well. I think they’ve got hugely talented players built around a philosophy that’s very exciting and good to watch. We’d love to try to get close to their level.”