SKIPPER Simon Francis is adamant Cherries will show the mental resolve to recover from defeat to Liverpool – and says the squad must pull together.

Cherries were crushed 4-0 by Jurgen Klopp's impressive side and therefore remained 16th in the Premier League standings, one point clear of the drop zone.

After a midweek trip to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, Cherries travel to table-toppers Manchester City on Saturday.

Francis told the Daily Echo: "I don't think lifting ourselves has ever been a problem with the character we've got in the squad.

"We've had low times and we were always going to in the Premier League. This is one of those results which makes you realise you need to bounce back.

"If we can't bounce back and get results, we are going to find ourselves even lower in the table so it's down to us to pull ourselves out of it.

"Not too much has changed within the squad, it's a similar group of lads to last season. If anything, our squad is stronger given the additions we made in the summer.

"We've got a few injuries which hasn't helped and Joshua King and Charlie Daniels went off today, although I'm not sure how serious their injuries are.

"We know how important the fixtures coming up are going to be. We're going to need everyone on board – the manager alluded to that in the changing room. The squad is going to be massive. It's so important that players perform when they come into the team.

"Without a doubt this is our toughest Premier League season. I don't think they get any easier and this third season is certainly going to be our toughest.

"As a group of players, we acknowledge we're in a relegation battle and we are going to have to show the fight we have before to get away from the bottom three."

Francis admitted he and his team-mates could have no complaints at the emphatic defeat to the Reds.

He added: "I don't think we were sitting in the changing room thinking we were unlucky to come away with nothing having conceded four.

"The frustrating thing for me, the rest of the lads and the manager is it was just so far apart from the performance against Manchester United. Inconsistency in performances has probably been the story of our season and that means you aren't going to get the results you want.

"We were off it in many parts of our game and Liverpool showed why they are the level above.

"It was a ferocious start. There was a very intense pace and we created a couple of chances on the counter-attack. Jermain (Defoe) had his one which hit the post.

"We felt we could get back into the game, as we always do. We have that character and belief but we have to be realistic, when we concede two, three or four goals against a top Premier League team, those comebacks are very hard to come by."