FORMER Liverpool star Ray Houghton is backing Jordon Ibe to “thrive” with Cherries despite the club record signing’s slow start to life at Vitality Stadium.

Houghton has closely charted Ibe’s progress since the winger left Merseyside in a £15m deal this summer.

And he claims it was unfair to expect the 20-year-old to be an instant superstar on the south coast.

Houghton told the Daily Echo: “Jordon wasn’t playing regularly at Liverpool, but now he’s come to Bournemouth and he’s meant to hit the ground running and be a superstar because they have paid X amount of millions for him.

“I think that’s harsh. I always give youngsters and new players some leeway. It’s a big upheaval for him, leaving Liverpool and going to Bournemouth.

“You’re moving to a new area – if you have a girlfriend or a family, how are they settling in? People don’t consider those things.

“All they want to see is the end-product. But there are a number of off-field factors you have to look at, which might be reasons why he’s not playing his best football.”

Ibe was replaced on each of his first 11 Cherries appearances. But there have been enough glimpses of his mercurial talent along the way to hint at why Eddie Howe was so keen to prise the former Wycombe youngster to Dorset.

“He’s got ability and he has to be encouraged,” said Houghton, a championship winner with Liverpool in 1988 and 1990.

“And Eddie is the type of manager who will encourage him. He gives you a platform to play your football and it’s up to him to go and produce when he next gets an opportunity.

“I enjoy watching the style of football Bournemouth play and I do think Jordon will fit into that.

“I think he’s the type of player who will thrive in that environment. But he’s still a young kid, he’s still learning the game.

“To think you’re going to walk into someone’s first team and be a superstar straight away… I never anticipated that would happen.

“I perhaps thought he would be a little bit better than he has been, a bit more consistent, but he’s still finding his feet.”

Cherries host Ibe’s former club on Sunday. And Houghton says Liverpool are as strong as at any time since he was part of the imperious Anfield side that romped to the title 29 years ago.

“It’ll be a good test for Bournemouth and I hope they attack it in the right way,” added the ex-Republic of Ireland international.

“I’ve actually been slightly surprised by Bournemouth this season. I thought they might struggle.

“They conceded 67 goals last season and it’s the same back four and the same keeper, so I was thinking, ‘what’s going to change?’

“But they’ve obviously worked on that and they still have the attacking options to score goals. If they have a go at Liverpool they’ve got a chance.”