CHERRIES’ winless start to the Premier League season continued with a thumping 3-0 defeat at Everton.

Andoni Iraola said this game would be a chance “to see exactly where we are as a football team” after a tough run of fixtures to begin the campaign.

Worryingly, Cherries produced their worst display so far under the new boss, with goals from James Garner, Jack Harrison and Abdoulaye Doucoure more than enough for Sean Dyche’s Toffees.

The defeat means Cherries have made their worst start to a league season since the 1994-95 third tier campaign under Mel Machin, where they totalled just one point from their opening eight games.

Iraola made two changes to the team which started last weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Arsenal. Adam Smith came in for his first league start of the season, while Dango Ouattara was also recalled as Max Aarons and Justin Kluivert dropped to the bench.

Everton came into the game having lost all four of their fixtures at Goodison Park this season. But they were gifted the lead on this occasion. In the eighth minute, Illia Zabarnyi slipped, allowing Garner to charge towards goal and fire a shot around Lewis Cook and Neto.

A snapshot from Dominic Solanke from a tight angle was the best Cherries could muster in response, with more sloppiness at the back going unpunished.

Everton were pushing for a second goal. Dwight McNeil dragged a shot wide, before a deflected effort from Doucoure was saved by Neto.

Milos Kerkez and Ouattara were unsuccessful with speculative attempts at the other end, before the Toffees doubled their tally.

Neto opted to punch a cross, which was delivered back into the box by Vitalii Mykolenko. This time the Brazilian’s clearance only fell as far as Harrison just outside the box, who calmly lofted the ball back over the keeper and into the unguarded net.

Cherries should have been further behind by half-time. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header came back off the crossbar in stoppage time, before Amadou Onana fired agonisingly past the post.

Iraola made a switch at half-time, Joe Rothwell brought on for Ryan Christie, allowing Philip Billing to push further forwards.

But within seconds of the restart, another defensive error allowed Everton in. Zabarnyi was again the culprit, presenting the ball to the feet of Doucoure to run through on goal. Fortunately for Cherries, the Mali international fired straight at Neto.

Iraola soon turned to his bench again, Luis Sinisterra coming on for Ouattara.

But it was the hosts who scored on the hour mark. An heroic block from Kerkez on the line denied Harrison’s back-post header, but Doucoure was there to slam home on the rebound. Cherries protested for a foul not given on Smith by Onana in the build-up, but their appeals fell on deaf ears.

Everton’s confidence was flowing, instantly breaking down the left again. McNeil breezed past Zabarnyi before crossing for Doucoure, who volleyed over.

The chances kept coming. Calvert-Lewin got in behind Senesi and dinked a shot over the advancing Neto, but it bounced just wide of the post.

Midway through the second half Wales duo David Brooks and Kieffer Moore were introduced, with Marcus Tavernier slotting in at left-back.

Neto had to be alert to deny both Doucoure and Garner from adding to their tallies as the game reached the final 15 minutes.

Cherries came close to pulling one back. Billing flicked a corner on to Moore at the back post, who headed it across for Zabarnyi, the Ukrainian’s header cleared off the line.

Moore then had a go himself, his header stopped by Jordan Pickford, before the England stopper got down low to turn away Tavernier’s strike.

Cherries remain in the relegation zone heading into the two-week international break.

Cherries: Neto; Smith (Aarons, 86), Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez (Brooks, 67); Tavernier, Cook (Moore, 67), Billing, Ouattara (Sinisterra, 57); Christie (Rothwell, h-t); Solanke.

Unused subs: Traore, Kluivert, Semenyo, Radu (g/k).

Booked: Solanke, Neto.

Everton: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison (Patterson, 78), Onana, Garner, McNeil; Doucoure (Chermiti, 90+1); Calvert-Lewin (Beto, 83).

Unused subs: Keane, Godfrey, Dobbin, Danjuma, Virginia (g/k).

Booked: Young.

Referee: David Coote.

VAR: Simon Hooper.

Attendance: 38,815.