HARRY Arter pledged to banish his below-par early-season form if handed a Premier League recall by Eddie Howe, insisting: "Whenever the manager needs me, I will be ready."

One of Howe's most trusted lieutenants during the boss's two spells in charge, midfielder Arter has not completed a full Premier League fixture in six weeks.

Having not missed a minute of the first five Premier League games, injury denied the 27-year-old a place in matchday squads against Everton and Leicester.

Following the international break – during which he helped Republic of Ireland qualify for a World Cup play-off – Arter was an unused substitute against Tottenham before coming off the bench at Stoke.

He completed his first full game since Cherries' league win over Brighton in mid-September when he featured in Tuesday's Carabao Cup last-16 triumph over Middlesbrough.

Speaking ahead of the visit of Chelsea to Vitality Stadium on Saturday (5.30pm), Arter said he would learn from being omitted from Howe's Premier League starting line-up.

He told the Daily Echo: "I wouldn't say it has been difficult. It is what it is. That's what happens in football sometimes – you find yourself out of the team. There are much worse things in life which can happen.

"I just have to work hard and try to get back in. Whenever the manager needs me, I will be ready.

"I have been fortunate enough to be in the side for a long while whenever I have been fit but it's a different part of football for me to adapt to. Hopefully, I can learn from it and it can make me a better player.

"It was good to get back out there against Middlesbrough. Whenever you play it's a chance either to keep the shirt or get back in the team and I was pleased with how I did, and it was nice to get a positive result.

"I didn't want to change too much, if I'm honest. I didn't put too much pressure on myself, I had a job to do and I felt I contributed well enough."

Arter featured for 77 minutes of Ireland's 1-0 win over Wales in a crunch World Cup qualifier earlier this month, his timely dummy playing a crucial role in James McClean's decisive goal.

And Ireland boss Martin O'Neill was among the interested spectators for the former Woking man's outing against Middlesbrough.

Arter added: "Ireland is one of the things which have been my drive to get back in the team here. I want to go back to Ireland fully fit.

"The Wales game was massive for me and even bigger for the country.

"I was relieved to be part of such a positive result. I came away from club football and went over there not in the greatest times because I wasn't playing overly well here and found myself out of the team.

"That was an opportunity for me to get my confidence back and I felt I did that on that night."