Howe explains three subs at 1-0 up and reacts to devastating Liverpool defeat

Eddie Howe has been speaking to the press following Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, which saw us concede twice in the last 10 minutes despite the man advantage.

Midway through the second half, Howe replaced Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak with Harvey Barnes, Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson; a triple change that has been slated on social media after the game.

Howe claims he brought on all three as "we'd lost momentum" in the game, bringing on Wilson for "fresh legs" and Barnes for his "goal-scoring ability to try and seal the game." As for the result itself, he feels the red card actually impacted us negatively, believing we struggled to break them down. That said, he accepts we still had chances to win the game and conceded twice with their only big openings.

Speaking to BBC Newcastle after the game, Howe attempted to explain his three substitutions:

"I felt we'd lost momentum - that's why we made the changes we did. Liverpool had five or six set plays in quick succession and we were under pressure. The extra man advantage is taken away in set plays.

"We wanted to get Callum's fresh legs and pressing ability on, and we wanted to get Harvey's goal-scoring ability on to try to seal the game. It didn't happen, but I don't think it was the fault of the players that came on.

Howe also had this to say when reacting to the result and performance:

"Really frustrating because I thought we did well for long periods of the game. 11 v 11, I thought we were very good. We took the game to them, we attacked, looked bright and energetic - everything we wanted to be - and scored a really good goal.

"The sending off changes the game and it shouldn't change negatively for us because we have the extra man, but we struggled to break them down - although the chances were there to win the game and we didn't take them.

"I don't think they were a threat to our goal in the match. It was only really set plays and those two chances at the end. It's happened, it's done, and we have to deal with it, process it, and move on to next week."