CHERRIES manager Eddie Howe fears striker Benik Afobe could be facing up to four weeks on the sidelines due to injury.

Afobe was ruled out of Cherries’ Premier League showdown with Manchester City after suffering a hamstring strain.

The 23-year-old frontman sustained the injury during a training camp with DR Congo over the international break.

Afobe spent a few days on a fact-finding mission in the country before deciding whether he wished to apply for clearance to represent the Leopards.

He has netted four goals in 11 games in the Premier League since joining Cherries in a £9million move from Wolves in January but could now miss a large chunk of the run-in.

Cherries boss Howe told the Daily Echo: “Benik could be out for a month. I don’t know if it will be that long but I have put that time scale on it.

“It is a low-grade hamstring strain. We are all disappointed he did it. It happened while he was training with Congo so we hope to get him back soon.”

Meanwhile, Howe revealed defender Adam Smith had finally succumbed to a groin injury during Cherries’ 4-0 defeat by Manchester City.

Smith, who had been playing through the pain for around six weeks, was replaced by club captain Tommy Elphick after 68 minutes at Vitality Stadium.

Howe said: “Adam has been carrying it for around six weeks and has been managing to play through the games. It just got a little too much for him against City.”

Boss Howe also said his decision to substitute Joshua King at half-time on Saturday had been partly due to the striker being ill in the build up to the game.

King, who had been forced to withdraw from international duty with Norway due to a hip injury, had missed some training during the week after being laid low by a cold.

Howe said Junior Stanislas was “making good progress” after damaging his hamstring at Watford in February and said he hoped to have the winger back “sooner rather than later”.

The boss did not wish to put a time scale on Harry Arter’s return from an Achilles problem, while confirming he had yet to receive any news from South Africa regarding Tokelo Rantie, who was injured on international duty with Bafana.