Bournemouth striker Joshua King’s ankle injury is not as bad as initially feared and he could be fit to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Wednesday, according to manager Eddie Howe.
King, 28, hobbled off after a heavy tackle by English defender Gary Cahill during their 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday and underwent scans which revealed only a minor sprain.
“We feared at the start when he went down with the ankle, I’ll be honest, that potentially his season could be over. He signalled straight away that he would have to come off,†Howe told reporters on Tuesday ahead of their trip to Wolves.
“It looked a nasty injury but the scans showed it was a very minor sprain to one of his ligaments, so we will make a late call on King to see whether he is available for the match.â€
Cahill escaped without a card and Howe said that there was little wrong with the former Chelsea defender’s tackle.
“To be honest, as a former defender I thought, ‘he’s got the ball first’. I wouldn’t be wanting a red card if that was one of my players,†he added.
Bournemouth are 18th in the standings and winless in their last five Premier League games, but Howe believes his side are capable of turning their fortunes around and securing their survival.
“We have to look at the longer-term picture. We are in a very difficult position, we are fighting to stay in the league but one win changes everything,†the 42-year-old said.
“It changes perceptions, our position, it changes the whole outlook with everyone connected to this football club.â€
