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Friday 24 July 2020 12:29, UK
Eddie Howe says Bournemouth can take inspiration from the final day of the Championship as they fight for their Premier League lives.
The Cherries must win away to Everton on Sunday to stand any chance of surviving in the Premier League, but they also need other results to go their way.
However, Howe says Wednesday night's drama in the Championship, where Barnsley scored a 91st-minute winner to escape relegation and Swansea clinched a playoff spot thanks to a six-goal swing, highlights how unpredictable football can be.
"The Championship showed just why everyone loves the game," said the Bournemouth boss.
"It's the end of a long season, the Championship is such a physical grind, and you saw so many swings and different emotions. Some teams were celebrating, some collapsed on the pitch in disappointment.
"That's a great thing for us to see before this weekend because you never know. We can only control what we can do. We've got to try and win a game of football and hope other results fall our way."
Bournemouth have won one of their last 12 Premier League games while their last away victory came against Chelsea last December, but Howe and his players remain hopeful they can produce a great escape at Goodison Park.
"There is a belief we can win our game," he said. "That is the only thing we can control.
"It's easier said than done, our away form has not been good for some time. In a lot of those away games we've lost narrowly, some games we look back on with huge frustration.
"We should have got more points than we have, for whatever reason we've just ended up on the wrong side for a lot of those games.
"We've got to go to Everton and try to do our bit first. Then, who knows? That's where the unpredictability of football comes in, hoping we'll get the little bit of luck that we need."
Howe hinted he wants to continue as Bournemouth boss whatever happens on Sunday.
The 42-year-old remains focused on extending Bournemouth's five-year stint in the Premier League but plans to sit down with the club's hierarchy afterwards to plan the future.
Howe started his Bournemouth association as an academy graduate defender in 1994, and 26 years on the 42-year-old manager has insisted his dedication to the Cherries is as strong as ever.
Asked if he wants to be Bournemouth manager next season, Howe said: "My commitment to the club has never changed, from day one onwards.
"I do my best for the club, and that will not change.
"We go into Sunday, we'll have a sit down at the end of the season, regardless of what happens, and see what happens next."
Howe refused to comment on Manchester City holding talks with Nathan Ake over a summer move but is unsure whether the Bournemouth defender will feature against Everton due to injury.
"Everything beyond Sunday is not for me to comment on now," said Howe. "Let's let that happen after the game.
"Nathan is a big part of our squad. Whether he is fit for Sunday, we'll have to wait and see. He has a very minor groin problem. It's still undecided whether he's fit enough to play, he hasn't trained or done anything physically in between the injury to now.
"We'll make a very late call on him but at the moment he's very focused on keeping us in the Premier League."
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