Eddie Howe celebrated enthusiastically after the final whistle at the London Stadium. While it may not have been much of a spectacle, the 1-0 win (with a goal from captain Bruno Guimaraes) represented a real boost to the team's confidence.

The preceding week had seen gut punch after gut punch... Anthony Gordon's suspension for the Carabao Cup Final (which will not be appealed) was followed by serious injuries to Lewis Hall and Sven Botman and fans had to suffer another season ticket price rise as well.

CEO Darren Eales addressed the media on various matters and assured all attendees that Alexander Isak, Eddie Howe, and progress on infrastructure were all top priorities for a committed ownership group. Now, the club faces table-toppers Liverpool for a chance to make history.

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