ASMIR Begovic insists he will not take his starting spot for granted as he aims to “set the standards” for Cherries’ goalkeeping stable.

The 30-year-old kept his second clean sheet of the season during Cherries' 1-0 victory at Newcastle on Saturday.

Ever present for Cherries in the Premier League, Begovic has made 38 saves, the second highest behind Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski.

But with the likes of Polish star Artur Boruc and youngster Aaron Ramsdale pushing him for a starting berth, while Adam Federici continues his recovery from knee surgery, the former Chelsea man is fully aware he must continue to impress.

Asked about the quality in the goalkeeping ranks at the club, Begovic told the Daily Echo: “It’s a competitive group.

“I know I have to show up to training and put in good work and, at the same time, perform in games because nothing is taken for granted.

“Nothing is given to you so I know I have to do that and set the standards for everyone else to follow.

“We have a really good group of guys with the goalkeepers, from the senior pros to all the young pros and the academy boys.

“It’s a close-knit group with a lot of talent coming through as well.

“It’s important for us senior pros to put the right example out there for them to follow and hopefully improve from there.

“We push each other and we are working well. We have a lot of fun and long may it continue.”

Begovic pulled off some fine saves during the dramatic last-gasp victory against the Magpies, a win which took Cherries out of the bottom three in the Premier League.

He added: “To go to Newcastle and get a positive result at any time is huge.

“You cannot underestimate that but then it is important to keep it going, get a run together, pick up points and start moving up that table where we belong.

“A last-minute winner like on Saturday, that may be a catalyst going forward.

“I think we have played a lot better in the past five or six games than people think or the way it looks.

“But it is the points you have and the table is the most important thing. We would have rather played worse and got more points but we are starting to pick them up."

Begovic has remain with Cherries during the international break, with Bosnia and Herzegovina not having scheduled a friendly.

“I can enjoy a little bit of quiet time and work on some things, work with the guys and put the hours in on the training ground,” he added.

“It’s important we use this international break to get ourselves ready for a huge period ahead.”