MANAGER Eddie Howe stressed Cherries “needed” victory over Manchester United to add some “impetus into our season”.

Joshua King’s dazzling strike sealed the spoils for the Dorset club to pick up their fourth league win of the campaign with a 1-0 success over the 20-time English champions.

Cherries have now taken 16 points from their opening 11 top-flight contests – their second-best start to a Premier League campaign.

Howe said: “We felt we needed that win for our own confidence and impetus into our season. It was a really key game.

“It was a really tough, hard-fought game. I was very pleased with the players because we had to be spot on in both aspects of our play.

“Out of possession we had to be very good.

“In the early stages of the game I thought they started very brightly – we didn’t concede in that key stage and then grew into the game.

“We performed very well for the second half of the first half – then it was a great time to score and was a great team goal. Really pleased with it.

“The interplay around the box was much better today. Much better than the previous two games where we created chances.”

Cherries have now gone 351 minutes without conceding after recording their third successive clean sheet.

“I was really pleased with the defensive performance,” said Howe.

“Steve Cook and Nathan Ake first and foremost gave us the foundation for that win, I think.

“Individually they were very good, collectively they were very good. There is a really good partnership developing there.

“The two full-backs had their hands full with the pace of their two wingers and I thought they did really well.

“Aaron (Ramsdale) when called upon made a couple of great saves at the end.

Defensively we are moving in the right direction with the three clean sheets. We still have work to do.”