Villa held on after Ezri Konsa saw red following halftime.
Howe said afterwards, “With the way we played, I think we deserved more. We were excellent in the first half – we just couldn’t score.
“Until the red card, that wasn’t our best period in the game. I can’t fault the players today, I thought they were magnificent.
“It was a hot day. I think we struggled to keep the momentum and intensity we were playing at. The home team’s always going to have a period in the game, but I thought we defended well. We were going strong at the end, trying to win.”
On Anthony Elanga's competitive debut, Howe said: “He was really good. I thought he was direct, showed real quality. He looks like a player who will elevate us.”
Howe was also asked about wantaway striker Alexander Isak after leaving him in Newcastle: “It’s a difficult one to answer.
"I hope it’s resolved quickly, because it’s news around us all the time. Players have managed to shut that out and perform. We have to continue to do that. We have to cope without the narrative against us.”