Andoni Iraola credits Bournemouth players for club-record unbeaten run

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola deflected praise onto his players after leading his side to a club-record eighth Premier League game unbeaten to move within three points of the Champions League places.

Everton were beaten 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium thanks to a wonderful volleyed goal 13 minutes from time from David Brooks, who leapt into the air to send Milos Kerkez’s cross sailing beyond Jordan Pickford.

The goal was the antithesis of an insipid Everton display as Sean Dyche saw his team fail to register a shot on target in 90 minutes, the prospect of a relegation scrap seeming unavoidable on this evidence as their dreadful run extended to one goal in their last five matches.

For Bournemouth, the unlikely target of a first-ever European qualification looks increasingly within reach.

“I don’t play, the important part is the ones who were on the pitch,” said Iraola. “I’m happy because it’s not easy to go eight games unbeaten in the Premier League.

“Now we are playing four teams that are ahead of us in the top five, it’s going to be more difficult to keep the run going. But at least we want to keep the performance level and give us a chance against anyone.”

Bournemouth’s credentials will be tested on that run which sees them face Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle and Liverpool but should they still sit within striking distance of the top four come the start of February, supporters will rightly start to dream.

“We really deserved this one,” said Iraola. “We were controlling the game since the beginning, we knew against Everton it’s difficult to score because they have a good keeper and good centre-backs.

“We had the patience. Probably we should have scored earlier. I think everyone watching the game was feeling that the goal was coming.”

A goal ought indeed to have arrived earlier. Dango Ouattara was denied by Pickford from close range in the first half while the goalkeeper was alert to produce an excellent stop from Justin Kluivert, who linked up beautifully with Antoine Semenyo.

Everton, intent on nothing greater than leaving with a stalemate, were made to pay for their lack of ambition when Brooks guided Kerkez’s cross into the corner with Jarrad Branthwaite perhaps at fault for failing to get his head on the cross.

“I think everyone sees the goal and thinks he wanted to put the ball exactly where he puts it,” said Iraola.

Dyche, whose attacking woes were compounded when striker Armando Broja was forced off injured in the first half, reflected on yet another blank drawn by his shot-shy team.

“We need to change the amount of shots we get on target,” he said. “We’ve certainly been trying for two years to do that. It’s very difficult to find players who have that cutting edge, ones who can score a goal.

“It’s the reality. I didn’t know the reality when I first got here, it has shifted significantly. But these are the realities.

“This is the squad, these are the players we’ve got, this is trying to constantly hold players into a more offensive unit whilst defending properly.

“No assurances of any kind. Every time that whistle blows, no manager can assure a result goes your way.”