CHERRIES star Junior Stanislas faces an anxious wait to discover whether his injury-interrupted season may have come to a premature end.

Stanislas sustained what manager Eddie Howe said could be a “serious” knee injury during Cherries’ 2-2 draw at Watford yesterday.

The winger was helped off the pitch on the stroke of half-time and exited Vicarage Road on crutches and with his left knee in a supportive brace.

Stanislas, troubled by hamstring and groin problems during the first half of the campaign, is expected to learn the full extent of the damage once he has had a scan early this week.

The 28-year-old, who recently described the current season as the “most frustrating” of his career, has netted four goals in Cherries’ past eight games in the Premier League.

Speaking to the Daily Echo immediately after the final whistle, Howe said: “Junior is feeling pain in the outside of his knee.

“He is in a brace and we anticipate there is an injury there but don’t know what that injury is. I imagine it will mean time on the sidelines for him.

“There was no contact and it was an unopposed injury. It was more of a twisting action rather than a contact injury. We would certainly miss him if he were to be out for a period of time.

“He is such an important player for us and it was no coincidence for me that we really missed him at the start of the season.

“Technically, he is excellent and, with our style of play, we need technical players who can handle the ball in any situation and Junior is one of those.

“He has a creative eye and can open up a defence with one pass. He is a goalscorer and a creator of goals. His form in the past few weeks has been really strong for us.”

Stanislas had played a crucial part in Cherries restoring parity in the first half after Kiko Femenia had fired the Hornets into a 13th-minute lead.

Having been picked out by Steve Cook’s raking pass, Stanislas saw his shot superbly saved by Orestis Karnezis before Jose Holebas needlessly handled after the ball had looped up at the far post where Jordon Ibe had been waiting to pounce.

Although referee Andy Madley opted against sending off Holebas for denying Cherries a clear goalscoring opportunity, the official pointed to the spot and showed the defender a yellow card.

Joshua King sent Karnezis the wrong way from the resultant penalty with Jermain Defoe’s dramatic leveller deep into added time cancelling out Roberto Pereyra’s goal four minutes into the second half.

Howe added: “It was a massive goal from Jermain and a massive point for us. To be honest, it didn’t look like it was going to happen during the second half.

“I didn’t think we had played at the level we had in the first half when we were good at times.

"But, again, the character and never-say-die attitude shone through from the players and we only needed one chance. Thankfully, it fell to the right person.”