Saturday 12 December 2015 22:29, UK
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe paid tribute to Harry Arter after the midfielder produced a courageous display against Manchester United following a tragic week for the player.
Arter and his partner recently lost their child at birth, but the 25-year-old still made himself available for selection against United on Saturday evening.
And the Republic of Ireland international was one of Bournemouth's best performers on the night as they ran out 2-1 winners at the Vitality Stadium.
"For us it's been a brilliant week, but the preparation for this game was difficult with the news of Harry Arter and his family," Howe said.
"I want to pay tribute to him and his family to how he played and how courageous he was in his performance and everything that was about him today. It was a very difficult day for him, but I thought he was magnificent."
Howe believes the recent introduction of both Junior Stanislas and Josh King - the home side's goalscorers against United - to Bournemouth's starting line-up has added an extra dimension to his team's attack.
"Pace is such an important thing in any league, but even more so in the Premier League," he said. "So those two players have had a huge impact and just changing the balance of the team.
"We have gone three in midfield as well and I think the three midfielders have been outstanding. So everyone at the moment is contributing, but the real feature today was the work ethic of the whole team.
"Whenever you play Manchester United or Chelsea you know you are going to have a lot of time without the ball, but I think we have been very good in the two games."
Despite the visitors missing nine first-team regulars for the trip to the South Coast, Howe still felt United were a threat.
"We still felt that it was going to be a very difficult game and we would have to surpass the Chelsea performance to win, there was no other thought than that," Howe said. "They still have world-class players in the front positions and I thought we handled those players very well.
"Of course we are looking at game plans and trying to expose certain things that we can do against them, but that is no different to any team."
However, Howe warned his players that beating United and Chelsea in successive Premier League games would mean nothing if they failed to produce a similar performance against West Brom next weekend.
"If you looked at the spell of games we had, starting at Swansea and Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United, I do not think anyone would have given us a hope of getting any points with the run that we were on," he said.
"So to get the return we have has been hugely lifting for everybody. But now we have to continue that, starting at West Brom."
And with the January transfer window set to shortly reopen for business, Howe refused to rule out bringing in more players after King was added to the club's ever-lengthening injury list against United.
"Like any other club we are looking at players and players that can improve the group and give the lads some support," he said.
"We have had some long-term injuries that have stretched our resources, but I have always maintained regarding this window and any window, there is no guarantee you are going to get the players you have identified.
"So it is a case of very much backing the players we have and if we did not recruit anybody, then I would still be happy to go forward with the squad intact. "
