Bournemouth will not rub Manchester United's noses in it if they win like Manchester City, says Eddie Howe

Howe is hoping to pull off an Old Trafford shock
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Tom Doyle13 December 2017

Eddie Howe has promised that Bournemouth will not "rub people's noses in it" if they pull off a shock win at Manchester United.

Staff and players from United are understood to have taken exception to the way the visitors enjoyed their 2-1 triumph, sparking a fracas in the corridor outside the dressing rooms.

Milk and water are claimed to have been thrown at Red Devils' boss Jose Mourinho after a reported confrontation with City goalkeeper Ederson.

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The Football Association has asked both clubs for observations on the confrontation.

Howe, though, does not expect any similar scenes in the tunnel should the Cherries inflict a shock second successive home defeat on United come full-time on Wednesday.

"That's the furthest thing from my mind, though not the winning part. After a football match there are a lot of emotions and sometimes people don't realise how big that is to your outlook," Howe said at a press conference, as broadcast on the club's official website.

"I think sometimes things will over-spill, the challenge is to keep your emotions in check at all times and that's what I try to do.

"I can only speak for myself, but you always want to get that balance right, you don't want to rub people's noses in it. That's common sense really because you don't want to be disrespectful."

Bournemouth head to Old Trafford on the back of just one defeat from the past four Premier League matches, although three of them have been draws.

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Howe says everyone at the club, which was not so long ago down in the third tear of English football, should "relish" the trip to tackle United on their own turf.

"In the previous two seasons we have got some good results in these games and they have helped to define our seasons, so we are looking for the same again," the Bournemouth manager said.

"It can really lift confidence levels to a point where it has a really positive effect on the rest of your season, there will be no surrender from us."

Bournemouth drew 2-2 at Crystal Palace on Saturday, but only after the home side saw a controversial stoppage-time penalty from Christian Benteke saved.

Howe was less than impressed by the decision of referee Kevin Friend, who had also awarded the Eagles a penalty late in the first half, and has asked the officials for clarification over the incidents.

The Cherries boss, though, rejected claims he had branded Eagles winger Wilfried Zaha a diver.

"I don't necessarily think that because you disagree on a penalty there has naturally been a dive. That is not my accusation to Wilfried Zaha and it never was after the game," he said.

"It was just a case that I think the referee got the decisions wrong."

Match prediction

Additional reporting by the Press Association.