It sounds odd to consider that in a year or so Bournemouth could be considered an established Premier League side, considering they were 10 points adrift at the bottom of the basement tier barely eight years ago.

Facing crippling debts and with a 17-point deduction which left them in negative figures until December 2008, step forward former player Eddie Howe - and the rest is history. Well, besides a brief secondment at Burnley.

Fast forwards to the present day and after defying critics to stay up by five points last season, the Cherries' campaign had got off to an indifferent start this time around before a shock 1-0 win over Everton last weekend lifted them level on points Watford.

Despite the increased Premier League revenues, Howe and co have resisted the temptation to splash the cash in the transfer market - and the £30million or so they have spent has largely gone on astute purchases, as is his style.

Highly-rated young French forward Lys Mousset and Leeds' Lewis Cook - the latter very much a Howe player - have yet to break into his starting line-up this season, but Liverpool's Jordan Ibe, their record signing at £15million, has started every game.

The return of Callum Wilson will feel like another new addition after he was ruled out for the season last year having started his debut Premier League campaign so brightly, and with that in mind it is a surprise the Cherries have found goals hard to come by so far; scoring only four in their six games, with Wilson on target once.

The again-vacant role of England manager will, undoubtedly, have turned Howe's head, but some forthright words in midweek suggest he thinks it is too soon to leave the South Coast for north London.

One thing he will not do, however, is let his side get distracted. His Bournemouth team suffered their heaviest ever defeat under his stewardship at Vicarage Road in a 6-1 defeat only three years ago, and it will certainly stick in the back of his mind as he looks to overturn a wretched run for the Cherries on that ground this afternoon.