EDDIE Howe is confident Tyrone Mings will quickly banish the disappointment of his recent five-match ban, by using the same mental resolve he applied to battling back from his long-term injury.

Howe watched on as Mings painstakingly worked his way to fitness after seriously injuring his knee on his Cherries Premier League debut in August 2015.

Mings had further surgery to remove staples from the joint 12 months ago, before finally getting back on the pitch in last September's EFL Cup tie with Preston.

The 24-year-old then endured a three-month wait for his next appearance – as a substitute against Leicester. But his perseverance paid off when he started January's FA Cup match at Millwall and subsequently retained his place in the team.

Mings had started five of his side’s previous seven top-flight games – and was making rapid strides in his conversion from a left-back into a centre-half – when he was suspended for an alleged stamp on Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in March.

He returned to Cherries' squad for Saturday's match at Tottenham, where he was an unused substitute.

Howe told the Daily Echo: “Tyrone has had a lot thrown his way. He handled having to deal with a long-term injury very well – especially when you consider the nature of his injury, which was a really nasty one.

“You always see the lonely side of it when you are watching a player come back. They have to deal with a degree of solitude, they are either travelling to get specialist opinions or working in the gym on their own.

“You see how they deal with that situation. It is a real test of a guy’s mindset. I think Tyrone came through that really well.

“And now he has had the disappointment of the suspension. But, in the context of things, he could deal with that more easily on the back of what he went through injury-wise.”

Cherries picked up eight points while Mings was made to sit idle. They have lost their last two games, though, and Howe is chuffed to have the former Ipswich player back at his disposal. Furthermore, he is looking forward to seeing him continue to develop in his new role.

“He is learning a new position, albeit he has been doing it for a while now, and it takes a long time to learn every aspect you need,” said the Cherries boss.

“I think playing a number of games helped him in that respect. He was improving very quickly with each one, so to suddenly have that stop was a blow to him… but one he will certainly recover from.

“He’s been a frustrated figure, because he was fit after having a long-term injury. After that period of time, when you have been forced out, then you are fit again, you are desperate to be involved.

“Five games out can feel like a long time, particularly when it is due to a suspension. We are delighted to have him back with us.”