Surman blow could leave Howe short in midfield

Andrew Surman has been ruled out of action for the next few weeks after a knee injury “crept up on him”, according to Cherries manager Eddie Howe. Surman was not included in Howe’s matchday squad at Watford on Saturday and Howe is unsure over exactly how long the 33-year-od will be spending on the sidelines.
The midfielder has enjoyed just 55 minutes of top-flight action from three substitute appearances while playing every minute of Bournemouth’s Carabao Cup campaign to date.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Howe said: “We lost Andrew Surman for Saturday through injury. He’s got a knee problem. “It’s just something that has gradually crept up on him. There was no incident that we can think of or find, it’s just that he has a knee complaint. “We will see how long he is going to be out for.”
Howe has preferred Jefferson Lerma and Philip Billing as his starting central midfield combination, but the duo have racked up eight bookings between them and now both tread a suspension tightrope.
Billing joined Lerma on four cautions for the campaign when his name was entered into referee Mike Dean’s notepad for a foul on Roberto Pereyra after 80 minutes of Cherries’ goalless draw at Vicarage Road.
With both players one booking away from incurring an automatic one-match suspension and Dan Gosling still nursing a hip injury, Howe could soon be left with a gaping hole to fill in his engine room.
Lewis Cook is just working his way back to full fitness after a long-term injury of his own and is short of match sharpness at the moment.
Howe says he won’t be asking his players to avoid more yellow cards because he believes they should go out and play their game.
Howe’s team are not essentially an ill-disciplined side, but there are only four teams that have picked up more yellow cards than the Cherries this term – Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United and Watford.