Bournemouth

Holly Bacon
BBC Sport journalist

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Tottenham (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Iraola said the squad will be "basically the same" and that Julian Araujo is still working his way back to fitness.

• On Ryan Christie's groin injury: "I think it's something chronic. He is dealing with some pain and I think it's a situation that we will have to manage day by day. I'm not ruling him out but also I trust Ryan a lot. He knows his body. It's not an easy situation to deal with during the season. Probably he needs some rest but obviously he wants to continue playing and this is a situation we have to continue dealing with."

• The plan for Christie is ideally surgery but not during the season, with Iraola stating: "We will continue to deal with it. We are probably thinking about surgery or something like this and it's better for everyone if it's in the summer. But I'm not Ryan Christie and he has to see how he feels, if he can play or can't play, decisions with the doctor, but he's pretty good at managing it."

• On Luis Sinisterra, who scored the winning penalty against Wolves in the FA Cup: "I think it's very good for him personally. He comes from quite a lengthy injury. He has been dealing with some hamstring issues for a long period of time so 40 minutes he played with no issue, finished strong, scores the winner. So for the brain I think it's very good for him and for me the best thing is the physical side - he can play more minutes and finish well."

• Iraola added: "It's always good when you win a game, the next days are easier. There is a chance to play in the quarter finals [of the FA Cup] but talking about the league, we come from two defeats. Now we know we have a difficult game but we will try to recover points we've lost against Wolves and Brighton."

• On Tottenham: "Whenever they are playing well they are difficult to stop. It's true that they've had different games - games where they've played really well, games where they haven't been as good. This is a place where if you want to get a result you have to be very good."

• He was also asked about a certain former player of his: "I love Dom Solanke - he is a hell of a player."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Following their 1-0 win at Vitality Stadium in December, Bournemouth are looking to complete their first league double over Tottenham.

Spurs have lost seven Premier League home games this season - their joint-most in a 38-game season in the competition (level with 1996-97). Only in 1993-94, when seasons featured 42 games, have they lost more (nine).

Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Tottenham are all interested in Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, who would cost £50m. (Mail - subscription required), external

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Liverpool are lining up a £40m move for Bournemouth's 21-year-old Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Real Madrid are keen on Bournemouth's 19-year-old Spain defender Dean Huijsen, who has release clause of around £50m in his contract. (Talksport), external

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Bournemouth co-owner Michael B. Jordan says it is an honour to be part of the new history the Cherries are writing this season.

Andoni Iraola's team are seventh in the Premier League, just four points off the top four.

The highest they have ever finished in the division is ninth, which they achieved in 2017.

"I saw a team with a lot of potential and a lot of growth and I love their story," Jordan said in a recent interview with TST, external.

"I love the team's history so [it is great] to be able to be a part of that new storytelling and give the team some new energy with Bill Foley. He is a great partner and he has that win-by-any-means necessary attitude."

In Iraola, Jordan believes Bournemouth have the right man to help the club continue to grow.

"He develops people," said the American.

"He sees potential, he sees talent and he takes the time to build them up and build a system that supports them as well.

"We have a really great team and we work well together."

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport senior journalist

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Tyler Adams keeps being mentioned by Bournemouth fans on this page, so why is the midfielder a topic worth discussing?

Adams is fast becoming one of the most integral members of Andoni Iraola's squad. It cannot be coincidence the Cherries have improved since the American has put a solid run of games together, having been restricted by injuries in his first 14 months at Vitality Stadium.

Defensive midfield is probably the least glamorous role in football. Forwards take the headlines, make the most money and command the largest transfer fees. Wingers get fans on their feet with a run down the touchline. Defenders and goalkeepers take the applause for a last-ditch, goal-saving tackle or brilliant save.

But in successful sides, the defensive midfielder (or "DM) is often the player who makes the team tick. The drummer who keeps the band at a steady tempo. The veteran forward who locks the scrum together. The accurate seam bowler who "holds an end" – ex-England captain Michael Vaughan described Matthew Hoggard's role from his 2005 Ashes-winning attack as "sweeping the shop floor". A thankless task, but a vital one.

The DM never attracts – or seeks – the glory enjoyed by others. When another Bournemouth win invariably generates another round of (largely spurious) transfer gossip, it is always the same names involved: Milos Kerkez. Antoine Semenyo. Dean Huijsen. Illia Zabarnyi. Justin Kluivert.

But while Adams may not generate the column inches, his absence is hugely felt when unavailable. Having started the league game with Wolves on the bench because of illness, Adams was introduced on the hour (with the Cherries already down to 10 men) and quickly galvanised his side as they searched for an equaliser. With Iraola's gung-ho substitutions leaving him having to play pretty much on his own in central midfield, he held the line.

A week later, playing 11 v 11 against the same opposition, Adams was in his element with another display full of tackles and interceptions as Bournemouth dominated Wolves and drove them backwards for most of the game, despite needing penalties to finish them off.

Every team needs a solid DM. Think of Nobby Stiles for England in 1966. Or Didier Deschamps, famously dubbed a "water carrier" by Eric Cantona, skippering France to back-to-back tournament wins in 1998 and 2000.

And back at Bournemouth, in 2014-15, one of the fans' fondest-remembered seasons which ended with the Championship trophy, who was chosen as the players' player of the year? Andrew Surman – the defensive midfielder.

As for Adams, Iraola summed up his contribution well in a recent BBC Radio Solent interview, explaining: "He eats the space. He's very fast to cover the ground for the second ball, and he smells the danger."

While disruption remains his primary duty, Adams has contributed going forward too – becoming the first American to record three Premier League assists in the space of two matches (against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest in January).

Having skippered the USA team at the Qatar World Cup in 2022, despite losing the national armband to Christian Pulisic since then, the Cherries will hope that their very own "Captain America" can help Iraola's team of superheroes make more history this Marvel-lous season.

Milos Kerkez, 21, is expected to leave Bournemouth for a new challenge in the summer and Liverpool are keeping an eye on the Hungary left-back. (Fabrizio Romano), external

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Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola believes it will be a "challenge" until the end of the season for the Cherries to qualify for Europe but any "small dip" would make the feat "impossible".

Iraola's side currently sit seventh in the Premier League and only four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City - who they will also face in the FA Cup quarter-finals later this month.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about being in contention for European football, Iraola said: "I think it's very difficult honestly.

"We are there fighting with the teams that are going to be in the challenge until the end but we have been very good, we've performed very well. We've been on the verge every time so if you have a small dip, it's going to be impossible.

"We have to keep this level until the end and it's going to be very close. I hope we can talk about this when we have three or four games remaining, but we still have to earn the right to be in this challenge until the end."

The Spaniard joined Bournemouth in the summer of 2023 from La Liga side Rayo Vallecano and thinks the club have benefitted from this time together.

He added: "To be in the second season is very important - we have been much better, they know me much better, I know them much better. I know where they can perform better, the positions they can cover.

"It took some time at the beginning, but I think people talked up that we were bad at the start but we still had 25 points in the first half of last season. They took it quite fast, but we have been solid since then.

"The Premier League is very challenging, there are eight or nine teams that are very good and it is difficult. We are fighting with them, but we are not so far."

Tom Jordan
Fan writer

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Bournemouth made it to the quarter finals of the FA Cup this weekend for just the third time. Cherries have overcome some tricky cup ties to get to this stage - beating West Brom with relative ease, professionally dispatching Everton at Goodison and now deservedly getting past Wolves via a penalty shootout.

Their 'reward' for this is now arguably the trickiest fixture, as we host reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, with a place at Wembley and the semi-finals up for grabs.

Ideally, Bournemouth would have hoped to have avoided the now favourites for the competition, but would City have wanted Bournemouth away? I very much doubt it, not least because it was the Cherries that started Pep Guardiola's poor run of Premier League results back in November, with Andoni Iraola's side victorious over the blue side of Manchester for the first time in the top flight.

While City smashed Salford in the third round, they have found both Leyton Orient and Plymouth a slog in the past two rounds, therefore a trip to the south coast will not be easy for Pep's giants.

Despite a host of injuries, the Cherries have not let up this season, giving every opponent an intense battle, so this quarter-final could well be an explosive spectacle.

While VAR threatened to suck the life out of what was an absorbing match on Saturday, the atmosphere was pivotal to our success, so home advantage is key.

City will remain the favourites for this one, but how many times have they failed to win when considered pre-match favourites this season? They certainly were the last time they visited Bournemouth.

The magic of the cup is alive and kicking!

Find more from Tom Jordan at Back of the Net, external

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Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola says the Cherries "obviously" want to go all the way in the FA Cup, but the club haven't "been the luckiest in the draw" as the south coast side will have to overcome Manchester City for a trip to Wembley and a place in the semi-finals.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast about drawing the reigning Premier League champions, Iraola said: "I think we've not been very lucky, to be honest.

"I think there was probably only one (situation) worse, that was City away. At least we have to play them at home - but it's a big challenge for us. It's a big opportunity and we will give our best, and see if it's enough to be in the semi-finals."

The Spaniard also said it's "a personal goal" of his own to get the club to Wembley, and he's aiming for the Cherries to go all the way.

"Yeah, obviously," he said after being asked if it's nice to still have a chance of winning the trophy.

"I think Bournemouth has never achieved to arrive to the semi-finals.

"It's a challenge that we have, a big opportunity also to play in Wembley. That is a personal goal also for me individually, for the team, for the club. But it is true that probably we've not been the luckiest in the draw."

You can listen to Andoni Iraola's interview from 2:51:52 here

We asked for your views on the FA Cup fifth round match between Bournemouth and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Bournemouth fans

Colin: A very one-sided affair. Unbelievable attacking from the Cherries, over 30 shots! Terrific defending from Wolves. A fair result, finally!

Steve: Superb. We fully deserved that result after last week's loss in the league.

Mike: Great persistence and we held our nerves in the shootout after Dean Huijsen missed his penalty. Luckily Wolves shot themselves in the foot when Matheus Cunha became reckless and cost them. Bournemouth must learn to finish teams off after taking the lead and become more clinical in the last third.

Lance: Bournemouth proved, like every week, that they are fighters and never give up. I hope the squad will stick together in seasons to come. Never change a winning team, as they say.

Wolves fans

Peter: Cunha cost us the game and now possibly the league. That is twice his temper has got the best of him. If he can't control it, he may as well go. Toti Gomes was outstanding in defence.

BG: We need league points more than we need a cup run. Losing this game was likely, but losing Cunha will be more costly.

Steve: Wolves defended well. Cunha was irresponsible and petulant - he isn't playing in a Sunday morning pub match! Overall, Bournemouth deserved to win but they also need to stop hacking like a Sunday morning team. They were making way too many dangerous tackles, which do not belong in the Premier league.

Colin: Maybe I'm alone on this one but when Cunha scores, you will only see a few players in shot and the rest are not really bothered. It definitely looks like they don't get on with him. Why would you not show some excitement at getting an equaliser? Poor Matt Doherty, of all the players to miss the winning penalty!

The draw for the FA Cup quarter-finals has been made. Here are the four ties in the order they were drawn.

Games will be played over the final weekend of March.

• Fulham v Crystal Palace

• Preston v Aston Villa

• Bournemouth v Manchester City

• Brighton v Nottingham Forest/Ipswich

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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The Football Association has said the record eight-minute VAR stoppage during Bournemouth's FA Cup fifth-round win against Wolves was caused by a congested penalty area.

It came during the first weekend of the semi-automated offside system being trialled in English football, which is supposed to reduce the decision time by 30 seconds in close offside calls.

The officials were unable to rely on that technology during the check and needed to revert to manually drawn lines before disallowing Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez's 35th-minute goal.

Fellow defender Dean Huijsen was adjudged to have been in an offside position as Kerkez's effort brushed his shoulder.

But the stoppage was also extended as the video assistant referee (VAR) pairing Timothy Wood and Darren England made two different checks for handball - including against Huijsen - prior to the tight offside call.

Wolves supporters did not celebrate the decision that benefited their team, instead allying with the home supporters by chanting "it's not football any more" and "this is embarrassing" during the unprecedented stoppage.

During the break in play, referee Sam Barrott explained what was happening to the managers and players, while some on the pitch opted to re-do their warm-up routines.

The previous longest VAR check was believed to be five minutes 37 seconds in the Premier League match between West Ham and Aston Villa in March 2024.

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth are through to the last eight of the FA Cup for only the third time in their history - but only by the skin of their teeth after a dramatic afternoon at Vitality Stadium.

Dean Huijsen was first to miss his spot-kick in a tense penalty shootout, but Matt Doherty and Boubacar Traore failed to hit the target before Luis Sinisterra coolly converted to book the Cherries' place in the quarter-finals.

The home fans may have feared Bournemouth's failure to turn their dominance into further goals would come back to haunt them after Sam Johnstone pulled off fantastic saves to deny Sinisterra and Lewis Cook in extra time.

The Cherries also had goals from Milos Kerkez and Alex Scott ruled out - the former after an eight-minute video assistant referee (VAR) review - after Evanilson's first goal since December had put them ahead in the first half.

Matheus Cunha's sensational strike restored parity in the second half and Wolves held on in extra time to force the shootout, but Andoni Iraola's side - who were beaten at home by Vitor Pereira's team in the Premier League last weekend - had the last laugh.

Having failed to reach the semi-finals in both 1957 and 2021, Bournemouth will now be aiming to go one step further and progress to the last four of the competition for the first time.

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about the win: "It was a game only one team tried to win. I think we were in control of the game, but they found a way with Cunha - an amazing goal. We should have scored two or three goals today.

"VAR, waiting seven minutes, it could have easily been 3-0 but we don't punish them when we are playing better. We were controlling the whole game. We deserved to go to the next round, but we had to do it in a difficult way."

On VAR and semi-automated offsides: "In the first game we need it, it goes against us. It doesn't work. They had to draw the lines and we were waiting seven minutes. It is definitely not a good sign for everyone involved.

"I remember in the Carabao Cup we went out because they scored with an arm and there was no VAR. I think everything has gone against us today but, fortunately for us, we go into the next round.

"We should have won this game a lot earlier, we missed big chances. In extra-time, I don't think they even arrived to our box."

On the penalties: "We practice every day when there is a cup competition. It is not only luck, there are other things involved. At the end, it was a fair result today."

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about the result: "It was end-to-end stuff. I feel like everyone's legs started to go after 90 minutes. It went to penalties and luckily we won - I'm grateful.

"I feel like we could have done it in 90 minutes, but the most important thing is that we got the win and we are into the next round.

"I think as a group we need to be a bit more clinical, and then maybe we would be higher in the table.

"I think for now we have got the win and we will see who we get tomorrow."

What did you make of Bournemouth's display? Have your say here

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Bournemouth have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals in two of the last five seasons, having done so in just one of their first 89 campaigns in the competition.

Bournemouth have won their last five penalty shootouts in all competitions.

Andoni Iraola's side had 31 shots in this match, the most any Premier League side has had against another in an FA Cup match since Manchester United against Norwich in June 2020 (36).

Were you at Vitality Stadium or following the game from elsewhere?

Have your say on Bournemouth’s performance

Wolves fans, what did you make of the display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies