MANAGER Eddie Howe could be ready to blood another of Cherries’ rising stars in tonight’s League Cup showdown against Preston North End.

Howe has called up no fewer than four members of the club’s youth and under-21 squads for the third round tie at Deepdale.

Italian defender Filippo Costa, who is on loan to Cherries from Chievo, has again been named in the squad having been an unused substitute for the second-round win at Hartlepool.

Costa will be joined by under-21 team-mate Matt Butcher who came off the bench to make his first-team debut in the 4-0 victory over Pools last month.

Second-year professional Callum Buckley and second-year scholar Sam Surridge will also travel with Howe’s squad to the North West.

Left-back Buckley, who hails from Basingstoke, has had loan spells with Dorchester and Concord Rangers and has been promoted after impressing Howe’s coaching staff.

Teenage striker Surridge, 17, who comes from Wimborne, has also spent time training with Howe’s first team this season after starring for both youth team and under-21s.

Either Costa or Buckley could even be in contention for a shock start with new Cherries loan signing Joe Bennett ineligible having played in the previous round for parent club Aston Villa.

Cherries’ assistant boss Jason Tindall told the Daily Echo: “We will be taking a few of the younger guys to give them experience. Whether they will be involved in the squad is yet to be decided.

“Whether or not they are, we see this as an opportunity for us to maybe give them a bit of experience.

“First and foremost, they have got to have earned the opportunity to be with us by delivering good performances in games they play for the under-21s and the youth team. If any of them are called upon, it would be a great opportunity for them.”

Boss Howe is again expected to ring the changes for the tie, although new signing Glenn Murray is also unavailable having already featured in the League Cup for Crystal Palace.

Tindall added: “We will make a few changes, as we have in cup competitions in the previous couple of seasons. We have huge confidence the players selected will deliver a performance and won’t let us down.

“We would always pick a team we believe is good enough to win the game. We have a really good squad and have huge faith in the players. Every time players have come in for the cup competitions, they have delivered really good performances.

“Preston are a good side and a tough side to beat. They had a terrific victory against a very good Watford team in the last round so we know it is going to be a tough game.”