CHERRIES star Steve Cook is adamant he will not alter his playing style – despite the threat of an automatic ban.

Cook picked up his fourth yellow card of the season at Watford on Saturday after he brought down substitute Fernando Forestieri in the second half of the Championship clash.

That booking, in addition to cautions against Blackburn, Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield, has left Cook one misstep away from a suspension.

If the 23-year-old is cautioned again on or before November 30 then he will be forced to sit out one match.

However, Cook believes changing his approach will be of no benefit to himself or Cherries and says he will continue to tackle matches in the same manner.

He told the Daily Echo: “Unfortunately, I find myself on four yellow cards but that’s football and I can’t do anything about it now.

“I have picked up bookings that maybe shouldn’t have been bookings in previous games and on Saturday I made a challenge and took one for the team.

“But I won’t change how I play. If you get on the back foot then that is maybe when you start making mistakes.”

Cook is in contention to take his place in the Cherries squad that travels to managerless Cardiff City in the third round of the League Cup tonight (7.45pm).

The Dean Court side will aim to reach the fourth round for the first time in 51 years when they face the Bluebirds in the Welsh capital.

Danny Gabbidon and Scott Young are again set to take charge of Cardiff in the absence of a permanent boss following the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Cook continued: “Cardiff are a team in transition but it’s all about us. I don’t think it would be right for us to focus on what they are doing as what goes on behind the scenes there is none of our business.

“If we play our game then I think we’ve got a very good chance of progression. We want to go as far in the competition as possible and it’s a chance for us to get back to winning ways.

“It’s a chance that, hopefully, we will take.”