Eddie Howe says Mathieu Flamini deserved red for Dan Gosling tackle

Eddie Howe believes Mathieu Flamini should have been given a straight red card for his tackle on Dan Gosling during Bournemouth's 2-0 defeat by Arsenal.

The Arsenal midfielder's two-footed challenge on the Bournemouth man earned him a yellow card from referee Kevin Friend, but Howe insists the decision to send him off "was not a difficult one". 

The incident came in the eighth minute with the score at 0-0, before Arsenal went on to win 2-0 thanks to goals from Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

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Howe told Sky Sports: "I thought it was a red, I had a very good view, it looked two footed and potentially off the floor. 

"I've only seen it live but my initial view is definite red card.

Bournemouth 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal moved back to within five points of leaders Leicester

"For me it wasn't a difficult decision, I felt that the two-footed tackle has been outlawed, and it was a red card."

The result leaves Bournemouth in 15th place, five points above the drop zone. Despite improving in the second half, they could not find a way past Petr Cech.

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"We found it difficult to get pressure on the ball and influence their possession in the first half," said Howe.

"We worked on a few things at half-time, we managed to get more pressure on the ball, we managed to dominate the ball, in fact, in the second half.

"It was just the cutting edge on that final ball and final finish, and obviously [Cech] is world class and he made a couple of great saves."