EUNAN O’Kane insists there will be no room for niceties if Cherries are to topple their former team-mates at Norwich City today (3pm).

The diminutive midfielder could come up against former partner in crime Andrew Surman if selected for Cherries’ first league match at Carrow Road since 1959.

Surman made 34 Championship appearances while on loan at Dean Court last season, forming a formidable midfield combination with O’Kane and Harry Arter.

But while remaining mindful of Surman’s qualities, O’Kane knows Cherries can ill afford any passengers if they are secure a positive result in Norfolk.

O’Kane told the Daily Echo: “Surs know us as well as we know him so if he plays I’ll be hoping to come out on top and that will be one personal battle won our side.

“We will probably need to win all 11 to come away with a victory but if I can be at my best, regardless of who I’m up against, and everyone else does the same hopefully we can get a good result.

“On our way to Blackburn last week, we watched a little bit of the Norwich game and they looked very impressive. They have two familiar faces in their squad (Surman and Lewis Grabban) and as a group we are looking forward to getting back to the league and putting right last week’s result.”

On Surman’s attributes, O’Kane added: “He doesn’t give away the ball and is very good technically. His movement was always very good for us and he never panics, no matter what’s going on round him.”