CAPTAIN Neto says Cherries know “what the scenario can offer for us” if they can overcome “three massive games” over the next few weeks.

After a run of seven Premier League matches without victory, Cherries, on paper at least, have been presented with a golden opportunity to get their campaign back on track.

Andoni Iraola’s men face the league’s bottom three clubs back-to-back in the next 11 days.

They host Sheffield United and Luton Town, after a trip to Turf Moor to take on Burnley this afternoon (1pm).

Cherries currently sit 13th in the Premier League table, eight points clear of the relegation zone and 10 points off the top half, with two games in hand.

Looking ahead to the upcoming run of fixtures, goalkeeper Neto said: “It is three massive games for us.

“We know what we are playing for in these three games and what the scenario can offer for us if we have positive results in these three games.

“We have to start from Burnley on Sunday with the right mentality. The mentality to go there, know that we’re going to suffer but do our best and try to get these three points.

“Then we will look at the other two games, but 100 per cent we know we play for many, many things in these three games.”

He added: “We have a very difficult game against Burnley. We know it is very important for us.

“The last results, I think it was a bit frustrating for us. We had great games, where we had good intensity and created a lot of opportunities, but we didn’t win.

“We drew a few games. It is about the mentality we have to try to change the result sometimes.

“We are a young team, so of course this is a thing we are building.

“But we have to take the positive things, we played good games, and on Sunday we have to show some of the things we have learned in the past.

“It is a big game for us. We have to understand this moment, go Sunday and put everything to try and win the game.

“We know how football works. All games are tough and we have to give everything we can.”

 

Cherries enjoyed a stunning run of form towards the end of 2023, racking up 19 points from seven matches to propel them up the table.

But they have failed to win in the league since Boxing Day and were also knocked out of the FA Cup in disappointing fashion on Tuesday night, losing 1-0 to Championship outfit Leicester City.

“The confidence, the work and the intensity in training has stayed the same,” insisted Neto, when asked about the difference in form.

“The only thing that has changed now is the results are different.

“In this game, the most important thing is the result.

“We are working to achieve these results again. But I think we cannot lose the confidence or the mentality that we create and keep pushing.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Cherries’ season kickstarted in the reverse fixture against Burnley in October, Iraola sealing a first Premier League win as a manager at the 10th time of asking as goals from Antoine Semenyo and Philip Billing sealed a comeback 2-1 victory.

Neto missed that game due to injury, with Andrei Radu drafted in for his top-flight debut, as the Brazilian watched on from the stands.

“I remember I was very, very nervous during that game, because the result was very important,” Neto recalled.

“We were struggling in that moment. The result changed the scenery for us, because we came from a few good games.

“Of course the start was tough. It was very difficult games that we had.

“So that win, I think the players could relax and breathe a little bit and say ‘we can do it, it is in our hands, it just depends on us’. So that moment was very important for us.

“But the Premier League is very difficult. Any game can change the moment.

“Now we are in another moment, we had good games in the past three or four, but the results didn’t come. We have to focus on and fight for the result.”