PUNDITS have heaped praise on Gary O’Neil following Saturday’s 1-0 victory at Leicester City.

Cherries have climbed up to 15th in the Premier League table following four wins in their last eight top-flight fixtures.

That has put them in a good position to avoid relegation, three points clear of the drop-zone with eight matches remaining.

Speaking in his role as pundit on Sky Sports, former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock said of Cherries’ head coach: “Gary O’Neil has come in and he makes huge, huge decisions within games. I think he’s done unbelievable.

“The Nottingham Forest game away, 2-0 down, makes changes. Changes the system at half-time, suddenly they came back and win the game 3-2. It’s not the only game where he’s changed the system.

“He’s changed personnel at times. Midway through first halves, second halves and he’s made big, big calls. He’s not afraid to live by his decisions and die by them.

“I’m not putting him in the same bracket here, but how many times do we laud (Jose) Mourinho for doing it, for making big decisions? Sometimes you’ve got to do that. 

“Even the change of (Philip) Billing’s position now, playing higher up.

“Credit to Gary O’Neil, he’s done a great job so far.”

Mourinho, 21 years O’Neil’s senior, is currently manager of Roma having won three Premier League titles in charge of Chelsea.

He also won trophies whilst boss of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Porto.

Speaking as pundit on BBC’s Match of the Day, reviewing Cherries’ win at Leicester, former England midfielder Danny Murphy said: “I’ve got to give Gary O’Neil a mention.

“His first managerial post, he’s been terrific. He conducts himself well, he’s proactive with his substitutions.

“He always sets them up positively. They’re not a negative side. They always try and go after the game and he deserves credit again.

“The team was really well balanced, well structured. It played confidently.

“It didn’t look like a side struggling down the bottom.

"Bournemouth will be disappointed they didn’t put the game to bed earlier, because they had to weather the storm a little bit second half. It’s a really, really important win for them.”

Cherries have won eight of the 29 matches O'Neil has taken charge of, drawing six.