Bournemouth manager Gary O’Neil insists his team were the better side in their 1-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park and hit out at the match officials.
The result ensured the Blues avoided a first relegation in 72 years but even though his own side had already secured their own safety several weeks back, their boss, who turned 40 earlier this month believed they put up a good show. He said: “It was enjoyable, I thought the lads handled it very well. They stood up to Everton’s direct play, showed real good control plus calmness and quality with the ball.
“It was what I expected it to be and I thought the lads coped with it very well.”
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O’Neil added: “I thought we were the better side, I thought we were in control for the most part. There are still lots there that we need to progress on but we knew what we were coming into, a tough atmosphere against a direct team.
“We’ve struggled against direct teams this season but I thought the lads stood up to it very well. We maybe didn’t create enough from the situations that we had, a couple of really good ones.
“I’m excited that we’ve got to a point where we can come here and perform like that in tough conditions and tough pressure. We had loads of the ball, control with it but maybe got a little bit too desperate towards the end and started chucking things forward and suffered a couple of counter attacks.
“But it’s something that I like and a team that represents what I stand for and stood up to the physical battle, showing calmness and bravery on the ball. I’m disappointed that we couldn’t score a goal, I always thought we could get one and looked dangerous enough to score.”
While O’Neil was satisfied with the Cherries’ efforts, he was left unhappy by the performance of referee and Stuart Attwell and his team. He said: “The fact that we’ve got 39 points this season with the level of officiating against us, is a miracle. The fact that it’s taken me that long to get booked is also a miracle, I thought the refereeing was terrible.
“We’re the first team since VAR was introduced, not to receive a penalty. Any time there was a decision that could go either way, it went to them which is what I feel we’ve suffered this season.
“I’ve spoken to Howard Webb a lot and it’s ‘we should have got that one right, apologies’ but it’s us that always suffers on the day so hopefully next season it improves for us. I think it’s been really, really poor this year.
“I’m disappointed but I think anyone who maybe questioned Bournemouth’s motivation and how we’d arrive, I’m very proud of how we came to try and win a game of football for 100 minutes and didn’t stop for a second. In terms of integrity in coming to a tough place to come and doing things properly, I was very proud of what I saw.”
O’Neil added: “It must be difficult to officiate (in such conditions), I’m not saying it’s easy, I’m not saying they gave stuff against us on purpose, but as I’ve said all season, I think it’s just human nature. If you have a decision to make and Bournemouth are involved, it’s easier not to give it.
“I’ve voiced this to Howard a few times, I don’t for one second think that people are being biased or not giving us things on purpose but if something happens to Erling Haaland and the world is watching, it’s human nature to give it but if something happens to Dom Solanke, Jefferson Lerma or Philip Billing, there’s a tendency not to.”
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