Cherries youngster on the sidelines...again

Luckless Bournemouth defender Tim Stephenson is set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines after damaging two parts of the medial ligament in his right knee.

The 18-year-old suffered the setback in the 4-3 reserve-team victory over Forest Green Rovers and although he is unlikely to need surgery, he could be facing up to 12 weeks out.

The injury comes just as the highly-rated youngster was returning to fitness following a double hernia operation and also missed five months of last season after getting injured in a youth team game.

Boss Eddie Howe told the Echo: "It is a big blow for Tim because he has really struggled to keep himself fit and has missed a lot of football."

He added: "I feel for him at the moment because he has had a run of bad luck. It would be good to see him get a break and stay fit for a period of time."

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