Paul Lambert ‘gutted’ after Bournemouth come from behind to beat Stoke

Stoke boss Paul Lambert said he was “absolutely gutted” with the 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth and admitted he would have been disappointed with a draw.

The Potters conceded two goals in the final 20 minutes to surrender a lead at the Vitality Stadium as Lambert lost for the first time since taking over following the sacking of Mark Hughes.

Goals from Cherries substitutes Josh King and Lys Mousset sent City back into the Premier League relegation zone after Xherdan Shaqiri had headed them ahead early on.

Asked if Stoke should have taken something from the game, Lambert, who was particularly frustrated that Mousset was left unmarked to head the winner from a free-kick, replied: “100 per cent.

“Listen I would have been absolutely disappointed leaving with a draw so I am absolutely gutted that we’re going away with nothing because we never deserved that.

“I thought we looked great for about 70 minutes, the equaliser I can understand because it takes a ricochet off Joe Allen that falls into the lad’s path, which can happen, but the second goal is unacceptable.

“Everything was great, we looked really good, the way we played, the style we played, the hunger, everything I asked of them.

“The second goal’s the one that’s really hurt us.”

Southampton’s win at West Brom and a draw for Swansea at Leicester meant the Potters returned to the bottom three on goal difference.

Asked how the mood was in the dressing room following the damaging defeat, Lambert added: “Pretty quiet, the way it should be. It’s normal I think when you lose.

“The lads know they played well and that’s the positive to take out, they came here and we played every so well.

“It’s the second goal that’s annoyed me the most.”

Bournemouth, who won 3-0 at champions Chelsea in midweek, are now seven games unbeaten in the Premier League, a club record.

Cherries manager Eddie Howe felt his team may have lost the game had it come earlier in the season and praised the mental strength of his players.

“The key thing is that we didn’t concede a second and we had to be strong enough just to play ourselves into the game,” Howe said.

“We knew there’d be a moment when we’d come strong again. Thankfully that was the case.

“Would we have come back earlier in the season? I’m not so sure.

“But the fact that we’re in the middle of this run and producing performances that we have done, I think at the back of your mind you think, ‘Yeah, we can do this’.”