Howe reluctant to rush Wilshere

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe is happy to wait until Jack Wilshere has regained his full fitness before making him a regular in his starting XI.

Wilshere has struggled with injury throughout his career and missed the majority of last season because of a leg problem.

Despite playing for England at Euro 2016 the midfielder managed just 37 minutes off the bench for Arsenal before moving to the Vitality Stadium on a season-long loan deal.

He came on as a substitute during Bournemouth's 1-0 defeat of West Brom at the weekend but Howe admits he is wary about rushing him into the starting line-up.

"With the outstanding quality he has, there's no doubt about that. We'd like to see him in the team as quickly as possible," Howe told reporters on Friday.

"It's a delicate balance between rushing him into the team and the long term. We have to think of that. We want him to play a lot of games for us so we'll put him in when we think it's right.

"I've been really pleased. I thought he had a big impact when he came on at a time in the game when the game was in the balance, really.

"We had lost the full control we had had in the first half and I thought he wrestled that back for us. It was a big contributing factor to us winning the game."

Bournemouth travel to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday to face Premier League leaders Manchester City and Howe is looking forward to the challenge.

"I think they're an outstanding team. Individually I think they've got outstanding players and they've got a manager who, in my opinion, is right at the very top," he told his pre-match press conference.

"I think the biggest compliment I can give him is the impact he's had on that team so early - you can see when they play he's stamped his authority on that team.

"They've started the season incredibly well. When I watch them play, I enjoy it - and it's rare for me to say that when I watch an opponent play. They've been very impressive."

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