BOSS Eddie Howe insists Cherries must stick to their passing principles if they are to stand any chance of pulling off an FA Cup giant-killing.

Cherries, competing in the third round of the FA Cup for the first time in eight years, visit Premier League strugglers Wigan on Saturday (3pm).

Howe said: “It is going to be a very difficult game. I admire Wigan and what they have done over the past few years.

“I certainly admire Roberto Martinez a great deal, not just for how his teams play, but how he conducts himself, how he works and his mannerisms. He is a very good manager and he has done a great job with Wigan.

“They play great football and have a unique system which they have stuck to for a period of time. I am sure it is something we are going to have to deal with.

“We are going to have to show quality with the ball because you can’t defend for 90 minutes. We need to be brave enough to pass the ball ourselves.”

Asked by the Daily Echo where the FA Cup featured on his list of priorities, Howe replied: “I don’t really have a list of priorities. Our aim this season is to try to achieve something in the league but we want to win every game. That is very much how we approach every game, regardless of the competition.

“This game is no different and we want to try to win it. We know it is going to be very difficult. We are playing a Premier League team, away from home, so everything is stacked against us. But we will go there and try to give a good account of ourselves.”

Striker Frank Demouge is added to the travelling party but Wes Thomas is unlikely to be in contention after reporting back injured from his loan spell at Blackpool.

Cherries: (from) James, Francis, Cook, Elphick, Daniels, Fogden, Arter, O’Kane, Pugh, Pitman, Grabban, Tubbs, McQuoid, Fletcher, McDermott, Partington, Hughes, Demouge, Jalal.