TONY Pulis backed Cherries to beat the drop but insisted supporters must "step up to the mark" after the Dorset club's relegation worries deepened at West Brom.

Pulis's Baggies side earned a 2-1 victory over Eddie Howe's troops on Saturday, extending to eight games Cherries' winless run.

The Vitality Stadium club are just five points clear of the drop zone and that gap could decrease to four following 18th-placed Leicester's home clash with Liverpool tonight.

However, Pulis, who began his managerial career at Dean Court in 1992, believes Cherries have what it takes to achieve safety after finally getting the better of his former club at Premier League level.

Pulis told the Daily Echo: "You look at what they have got on the bench and the fact they had one or two players missing who weren't in the team today. I think they will be okay.

"The supporters down there now have to step up to the mark, especially for home games, and really get behind Eddie.

"They play some smashing football. They try and pull you out of positions with their football. But they need a break and, hopefully, that break will come along and they will push on from there."

Asked if he was surprised by Cherries' disappointing form since the turn of the year, Pulis said: "No, not at all. I think any club in this league can go on a run like that.

"You look at the squads that clubs like Palace have got, who are down there. They are enormous squads with enormous talent in lots of ways.

"If you're not right on it, you pay for it."

Already without long-term absentee Callum Wilson and skipper Simon Francis, Howe's injury problems worsened in the build-up to the trip to The Hawthorns, when Jordon Ibe was ruled out.

"It's a knee problem which had been hampering him for around a week," said Howe. "It got to the point in training yesterday where it was no good for today."

Asked if he expected the injury to be short-term, the boss added: "We hope so."

Jack Wilshere had been a doubt with an ankle problem which he sustained against Manchester City a fortnight ago.

And following the decision to substitute the loan ace midway through the second half, Howe admitted: "Jack had not trained between both games so it was just a case of protecting him."

In the wake of his team's recent run, Howe urged "true leadership" from the Cherries camp in order to pull away from trouble.

He added: "It's a difficult spell for sure. But that's when you show your true colours and how you handle these moments is key.

"I think you show true leadership when you are having a bad time and people are doubting you and what you do.

"What's key is how you respond to that. It's very easy to accept it when everyone is lavishing praise on you but you have to accept the other side, so that's where we are at the moment."