EDDIE Howe admits it is tricky to reconcile developing players with earning Premier League points after handing Lys Mousset his top-flight debut.

Summer signing Mousset finally made his Premier League bow when he came on as a 76th-minute substitute in Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat to strugglers Sunderland.

The 20-year-old Frenchman entered the fray minutes after former Dean Court loan star Jermain Defoe had thumped the Black Cats ahead from the penalty spot.

Part of a sustained but ultimately unsuccessful assault on the visitors’ goal, Mousset’s only two previous competitive appearances for Cherries had been in the EFL Cup.

The Montivilliers-born man is months into a four-year deal at Vitality Stadium and Howe foresees a bright future for the youngster.

Reflecting on Mousset’s debut, Howe told the Daily Echo: “When the ball is pinging around the box you want one to fall to him. He is an excellent finisher and has a rocket shot on him.

“Unfortunately, that moment didn’t come but it was great to see him on the pitch and making his Premier League debut. He is a player of rich potential so it was a good day for him.

“We have some good players in the squad, some good strikers. He’s very young and very willing. I think he wants to do well.

“He’s a player who the future will be bright for if he can continue to show a good work ethic every day.”

Asked if patience needed to be shown, Howe added: “We have to understand the level we’re at, how hard and harsh the league is. We know we need every player to perform at their best levels to win games.

“Development and getting results are two things that are very difficult to get together.”

The attacker came on as a late substitute in the EFL Cup win at Morecambe and played the second half of the disappointing home defeat to Championship outfit Preston.

Prior to his Premier League debut, Mousset’s most memorable moment in a Cherries shirt arguably came when he netted a spectacular strike in a friendly defeat to visitors AC Milan at the beginning of September.

That stunning goal capped an exciting display from the promising prospect, who gave the Rossoneri defence a torrid time after replacing Jack Wilshere at half-time.

Mousset attracted much interest when he joined the Dorset club for a fee understood to be in the region of £5.8million, arriving from Le Havre, a club which had produced the likes of Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Lassana Diarra through its academy.

He was reportedly on the radar of Arsenal, Tottenham, Sunderland, Southampton, Copenhagen and Monaco prior to joining Cherries, with Bristol City, Italian club Torino and Spanish top-flight side Sevilla also thought to have shown an interest.