Eddie Howe insists Bournemouth could still be dragged into Premier League relegation trouble and believes it is dangerous to assume otherwise.
The 10th-placed Cherries sit a comfortable 10 points above the bottom three with 11 fixtures remaining and are in contention to surpass their highest top-flight finish of ninth.
But manager Howe, who takes his team to Arsenal on Wednesday evening ahead of a home clash with champions Manchester City, is keen to avoid complacency and not take the club’s top-flight status for granted.
“It’s very dangerous to make those assumptions,” he said
“We have to get more points otherwise we will get dragged into the bottom end of the table and if we do get more points then we have a chance of looking upwards, so it’s very much in our hands.
“And every game – whether it’s Arsenal or Man City, our next two – we’ve got to try and maximise those chances to get points.”
Bournemouth have endured a miserable run away to the division’s top six clubs this season, losing each of their previous five fixtures by an aggregate score of 17-2.
The Cherries have also been beaten on each of their previous three visits to the Emirates Stadium, scoring only once.
Despite an injury-ravaged squad and suspension to £25million record signing Jefferson Lerma, Howe has urged his players to continue to be brave and attempt to play bold, attacking football.
Asked if his team were guilty of showing the division’s top clubs too much respect, he replied: “Possibly the opposite.
“We try and impose ourselves in every game, we try and go into every match with a clear and positive game plan to win the match.
“We never go into a match not trying to show our qualities.
“We are brave, I believe, in our approach and I still believe that is the right way to go.”
Howe is currently without Callum Wilson, David Brooks, Steve Cook, Junior Stanislas, Simon Francis and Lewis Cook due to injury, in addition to the banned Lerma.
It was announced on Monday that the 41-year-old is set to be awarded the Freedom of the Borough by Bournemouth Borough Council for his role in the south coast club’s remarkable rise from a points deduction in League Two to the top-flight.
“When you look at the journey the club’s been on the last 10 years, I decided to accept the award and thank the council very much for it on behalf of every Bournemouth supporter, player that’s played for me, board of directors, everybody,” he said.
“And I think it’s a nice thing for the club to achieve, it’s definitely not just my honour. A nice moment for the football club.”
