Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake will be sidelined for six weeks while Callum Wilson is also set for a spell out after both players suffered hamstring injuries, manager Eddie Howe said on Friday.
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Ake lasted only 35 minutes during Bournemouth’s 3-0 defeat by Liverpool last weekend and was expected to be out for the long term while Wilson was substituted after the hour mark when he pulled up chasing a long ball.
“It was relatively good news on Nathan’s scan,” Howe told a news conference. “The trouble with hamstring injuries, it’s very difficult to give definitive timelines. It will depend on how he feels but I think we’re looking at about six weeks.
“That’s conservative. Nathan could come back sooner than that. He presented like it was going to be a really bad one. The scan showed it was a grade two... We’ve had further opinions and we think we can get him back pretty quickly.
“It’s not a serious injury with Callum, he just felt his hamstring. We’re hopeful he’ll be back soon.”
However, striker Joshua King is expected to return to action when Bournemouth play away at Chelsea on Saturday after suffering a hamstring injury last month.
“Josh has got a chance for the weekend,” Howe added. We’re in a difficult moment with the injury list, there’s no denying that, but we’ll put out the best side we can.”
Bournemouth have lost their last five Premier League matches and sit 15th in the table— one point above the relegation zone.
Howe, however, said he is under no pressure and that having their backs against the wall brings the best out in the team.
“In these moments I try to be at my best, when things are most challenging,” Howe said. “I’d like to think I’ve handled these situations before and I can do it again.”