Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe insists that Tottenham's Champion League elimination will not affect the clash on Sunday between the sides. Howe says instead he will focus on his own team and not worry about the opposition and their mindset.
Speaking to 'SkySports', the Bournemouth coach said of 'Spurs' that ''they have been playing really well lately and are on a really good unbeaten run. The [Champions League] exit will have really hurt them, they were the best team for the majority of that game.''
Howe is clear that 'The Cherries' will be focusing on their own game and looking for a victory this weekend. ''Since Christmas we have been very strong and have beaten some big teams here. I think we are capable of beating anybody here. We have beaten some very good teams - the crowd get behind us and we make it very difficult for opposing teams."
Bournemouth striker Jermaine Defoe has recently returned from injury and put in game time in a 2-2 draw with Newcastle. Howe admitted he is ''delighted'' to have the 35-year-old in contention against his former team 'Spurs', for whom he made 370 appearances.
"He was out quite a long time with his ankle injury but he has come back, looked good and made a difference in the Newcastle game," added Howe. "His motivation is very high and it has been all season. He is always keen to score goals, whether in a match or in training and we are very glad to have him here."
Howe also explained that the joy of watching the game is lost for him now. "The days of me watching a game for fun are gone I'm afraid, which is a real shame. As a kid, I used to love watching football for just enjoyment. Now it's all about positions of players and looking for patters, things you can exploit and ways they can hurt you. When you watch football in the way I do you don't think too much, you just watch and analyse," he said.