EDDIE Howe found little to criticise about Cherries’ display against Everton and insisted: “If we play that well again, results will change.”

Cherries created plenty of chances at Goodison Park but were undone by goals from Kurt Zouma and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

It was an 11th defeat in 14 games in all competitions for the Dorset side, who missed the chance to climb into the top half of the Premier League as a result of the loss.

But Howe found plenty of positives to take away from Merseyside.

He said: “It was a difficult one to take, again. It was very similar to our recent run.

“I thought we started really strongly and penned in Everton. We created good chances and didn’t take them.

“We defended well but then switched off for a second at a set-piece and got punished.

“The game was more difficult from that point. We responded well and had late pressure but couldn’t force a goal.

“When you don’t win, confidence becomes an issue but you wouldn’t have known it from the performance.

“I thought it was a committed team performance. Individually, we were very good. Collectively, we were very good.

“If you were a neutral at the game, you wouldn’t have known we are on a bad run of form. You wouldn’t have had a clue from watching our players perform.

“We have to take a lot of confidence from the performance – not the result – but know that if we play that well again, results will change.”

Howe admitted his initial instinct had been that David Brooks should have had an early penalty following a challenge by Idrissa Gana Gueye.

He said: “I felt that was a penalty at the time. I haven’t seen it again so I have no idea if that’s right or wrong.

“I’m told we should have had a stone-waller at the end of the game (when Andre Gomes pulled down Jefferson Lerma). That’s how these things are going for us.”

Howe felt Gomes had been fortunate to stay on the field having conceded free-kicks for fouls on Steve Cook and Joshua King while on a caution.

And the Everton man’s additional decision to haul over Lerma did not incur any sanctions.

Howe said: “I thought the first one could have been a yellow card and the second one could have been a yellow card.

“When you add those up, he was very lucky to stay on the pitch.

“He could have been the guy who gave away a penalty at the end – I haven’t seen that so it’s difficult for me to comment but he was lucky to be on the pitch at the stage.”

Callum Wilson missed the fixture due to a hamstring complaint and Howe admitted he was unsure if the frontman would be fit to return for the home game against West Ham on Saturday.