MANAGER Eddie Howe is tipping relative unknown quantity Mohamed Coulibaly to be a big hit for Cherries in the Championship.

Howe, who signed Coulibaly from Grasshoppers in the summer, handed the winger his first start since the opening day of the season during the 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Coulibaly, dogged by persistent Achilles and calf injuries, understandably took time to find his feet but left three Boro players trailing in his wake during one flash of brilliance in the second half.

Howe, who used no fewer than four wingers against Boro, told the Daily Echo: “I thought Mohamed did well. From my perspective, it was a good chance to get him into the team and have a look at him.

“He has trained very well and we think he is a good player from everything we saw in pre-season and how well he did then.

“He was out for a long time and I don’t think there is any substitute for playing games. There is more to come from him but I think we saw enough to say he can be a threat in this division.

“We have four wingers who are all different and who all complement the team in different ways. Mohamed is quick and direct but also drifts off the line and can take up different positions across the pitch. He has that fluid movement and I think he could be a big player for us.”