MIDFIELDER Dan Gosling reckons Cherries can avoid a severe shelling from the Premier League’s big guns – provided they don’t cower in the bunker.

The 25-year-old former Everton man is one of only five existing Cherries players with top-flight experience having made 14 starts and 32 substitute appearances in the league during spells with the Toffees and Newcastle.

Gosling found first-team opportunities hard to come by during his first season at Dean Court having made the summer switch from Tyneside as a free agent.

But with a bounty of elite experience under his belt, the ex-England under-21 international advised his colleagues to maintain their title-winning swagger when they mix it with the household stars.

Gosling told the Daily Echo: “I have been to all the big Premier League stadiums and it is a totally different kettle of fish to anything else you experience in football.

“When you turn up on the coach and see Old Trafford and the big stars arriving for the first time, it can be quite daunting.

“As a team, it is important for us to believe we are not a small club and that we belong on that platform. If we go there in awe of everything then I don’t think we will do ourselves justice.

“We went up as champions and earned the right to play on the biggest stage so we should show no fear and go there with a lot of pride and confidence.

“If any little insight from me can help the lads, then great, but the boys have a good idea of what it is about and we have a pretty level-headed bunch so I am sure all of us will be ready.”

Everton snapped up Brixham-born Gosling, then aged 17, for a reported seven-figure fee in January 2008.

He scored four goals in 22 Premier League matches at Goodison, as well as a memorable strike in an FA Cup Merseyside derby against Liverpool before a controversial switch to Newcastle in July 2010.

“A lot of time has passed since my move to Everton. I remember being a bit starstruck at the time but as soon as you start mixing with everyone, you realise they are all normal guys,” he added.

“The level of professionalism goes up a notch with the top players and we will all need to match them because if we don’t, we could get turned over.”

On the prospect of staying up, Gosling continued: “We like to dictate possession and implement our style of play so who knows what we can achieve? We are great going forward and have a solid back four.

"Maybe the gaffer will bring in some experience as well. We will give it our best shot and, hopefully, we can compete.”