NEW Aston Villa captain John McGinn insisted tomorrow’s Premier League opener at Cherries represented a “tough start” but stressed: “We’re going there for three points.”

The Scotland star replaced former Cherries defender Tyrone Mings as skipper for the new campaign, with ambitions to “achieve great things” under boss Steven Gerrard this season.

Villa finished 14th in the top flight last campaign.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Vitality Stadium (3pm), McGinn told the Villa website: “It’s a tough start, it’s never easy playing the newly-promoted teams, we need to be right at it.

“Last season was a hugely disappointing start in similar circumstances against Watford, so we need to start on the front foot.

“We’re going there for three points. We want to achieve great things this season and we’ll really take it on a game-by-game basis.

“Saturday is a tough game but it’s one we’re looking to take three points, we’re all excited for it.”

Villa overcame Cherries 1-0 at Vitality Stadium in the Dorset club’s first ever Premier League game in 2015.

The last time the two sides met, goals from Philip Billing and Nathan Ake earned Cherries a 2-1 home win in February 2020.