Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe says he will not rush Jack Wilshere into the starting line-up despite the daunting prospect of facing Manchester City on Saturday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Eddie Howe Jack Wilshere fitness risk Bournemouth
Bournemouth must try to stop Manchester City on Saturday, but manager Eddie Howe is still wary of handing a start to Jack Wilshere.
___5494378___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___5494378___2016___9___27___23___jack-wilshere-eddie-howe-cropped_1lc4l3uovgkqd148vbrb4n6j6d
Recommended articles
The on-loan Arsenal midfielder came on as a substitute last weekend to help his side to a 1-0 victory over West Brom at the Vitality Stadium, having made two brief appearances against Leicester City and Watford for the Gunners.
A leg fracture kept the 24-year-old sidelined for almost all of last season, and he has not managed a full 90 minutes in the Premier League since September 2014 due to a succession of injury problems.
Howe has been delighted with Wilshere's start to life on the south coast but remains wary of placing too many demands on him too quickly, even with Pep Guardiola's table-topping City next in line for his side.
ADVERTISEMENT
"With the outstanding quality he has, there's no doubt about that, we'd like to see him in the team as quickly as possible," he said.
"It's a delicate balance between rushing him into the team and the long term. We have to think of that. We want him to play a lot of games for us so we'll put him in when we think it's right.
"I've been really pleased. I thought he had a big impact when he came on at a time in the game when the game was in the balance, really.
"We had lost the full control we had had in the first half and I thought he wrestled that back for us. It was a big contributing factor to us winning the game."
City beat Bournemouth 5-1 and 4-0 last season and have enjoyed superb form this term under Guardiola, winning all of their opening seven competitive fixtures and scoring 21 goals in the process.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I think they're an outstanding team," Howe said. "Individually, I think they've got outstanding players and they've got a manager who, in my opinion, is right at the very top
I think the biggest compliment I can give him is the impact he's had on that team so early - you can see when they play he's stamped his authority on that team.
"They've started the season incredibly well. When I watch them play, I enjoy it - and it's rare for me to say that when I watch an opponent play. They've been very impressive."
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh
Recommended articles
The Intersection of Enthusiasm: United Kingdom's local motorsports and Ghana's rising stars
Video: Watch Fatawu Issahaku’s hat trick in Leicester City’s win against Southampton
RTU suspends coach Abdulai Mumin over match-fixing allegations
Hearts of Oak are better off playing with an empty post than using Richard Attah – Taylor
Sorry for causing you a lot of pain – Dr. Prosper Ogum apologizes to Kotoko fans
Govt hasn't paid us – African Games gold medalist Winnifred Ntumi 'cries' out
Dumsor is part of the reasons why we lost against Legon Cities – Hearts of Oak coach
Black Stars midfielder Daniel Kofi Kyereh to miss rest of season due to injury
