EDDIE Howe insists his frontmen must step up in the absence of Callum Wilson – and says youngster Sam Surridge is showing promise.

Six-goal Wilson sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament at the start of this month and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

The injury is a body blow to Cherries' Premier League efforts and Howe feels Wilson's fellow strikers now face a more important role.

Surridge's stock has grown after he scored eight goals in 10 appearances for National South outfit Poole Town earlier this season, with Howe having promoted the Wimborne-raised 18-year-old to his first-team squad.

And the boss says all his forwards are capable of excelling.

Asked about the effect of Wilson's injury, Howe told the Daily Echo: "Joshua King, Benik Afobe, Lys Mousset – they all become even more important for us.

"You are looking for people to step into other players' positions and excel.

"Young Sam Surridge has done really well with the under-21 squad and is another player we are pushing into training with us who we really like the look of.

"It doesn't matter how old they are. This is what this club has always done. I remember losing Brett Pitman years ago and thinking about how we were going to replace his goals.

"Then Josh McQuoid came along. It didn't last too long before he was sold and someone else had to come in. That's always been the Bournemouth way."