ANDONI Iraola believed his Cherries side were the better team in their clash with Chelsea, despite falling to a disappointing late defeat.

Christopher Nkuku scored with just four minutes left to play, breaking Cherries hearts.

Every Bournemouth game this season has seen late drama, with every game barring Newcastle at home seeing a goal scored after 85 minutes, with a stoppage time winner for Cherries ruled out against the Magpies.

The late heartbreak came after club-record signing Evanilson missed a first half penalty to give Cherries the lead.

Speaking to the media, Iraola agreed that his side played really well despite coming away with nothing.

“I think we were the better team today,” he said.

“I think we deserved probably to win.

“But it's true that when you, especially against this kind of opposition, you miss a penalty, you hit the crossbar, you hit the post, you miss more chances.

“The other keeper is good, you can think in one moment of the game they will make a good connection, they will hurt us, and it was what happened at the end.”

On Evanilson’s performance and missed spot kick, the Basque boss said: “I think he played very well.

“I'm very happy with his performance, I think he helped us a lot in the press, he created the penalty.

“He had another couple of chances where he finished wide, but he was in the positions very close to scoring.

“I will not evaluate him because he missed the penalty, or he scored a penalty.

“[If he scores] he's the hero and we win because of Evanilson.

“No, no, I will not even ask him, I said it a lot of times, the goals, I think he has to give us a lot of things.

“He's giving us things, obviously, I'm sure he wants to score, but I'm not going to focus on this with him.”

Asked if he is worried about the pressure that may come for the striker as the wait for his first Bournemouth goal goes on, Iraola said he doesn’t know him too well yet, having only been at the club a short time, but that he is very happy with him so far.

“I think he has played four games with us,” Iraola said.

“I think [he’s had] three very good games. I think he was worst against Everton the other day, but the other three, for me, if he plays like this, he will be good and we will be good.”