Bournemouth defender Sylvain Distin believes the absence of Sergio Aguero and David Silva will make their clash with Manchester City no easier.
Both Aguero and Silva picked up injuries on international duty and are ruled out of Saturday’s clash at the Etihad Stadium.
But Distin, who spent five years at City, knows Eddie Howe’s men mustn’t expect the hosts to be any less difficult a proposition.
“You can look at it thinking it’s going to be easier, but the truth is it won’t be,” Distin told Sky Sports News HQ.
“They’ve got a really good bench, and they’ve got players not even on the bench who are international players.
“No matter what, it’s going to be a tough game, and if we start believing without those two it should be a comfortable afternoon, we’ll get that very wrong.”
Bournemouth’s rise to the Premier League is well documented, and the Cherries have picked up eight points from their first eight games in England’s top flight.
For much of the squad it’s their first taste of the Premier League, but Distin believes the squad has the experience to cope with big encounters like these.
“I hear a lot of times that they don’t have much experience in the Premier League, but they’ve played football for a long time,” he added.
“They’ve been through promotions so they’ve got experience in a different way, and I think they’re building their own experience of the Premier League.
“I think it’s very difficult to try to pass on some experience – I’m a different generation. I play a different type of football – football has changed a lot since I started in the Premier League.
“It’s a big game for us because we’re playing against a team that’s possibly going to win the title and is definitely going to be at the top at the end of the season.
“But it’s just a Premier League game. It’s a new game for the lads and a way for them to build experience, so it’s exciting because you play against exciting players.”
Distin has not scored a Premier League goal since 2011, when he netted for Everton against City, and the Frenchman insists he will celebrate if he strikes against his former club again.
“I never understand why you should not celebrate your goal,” he said. “I don’t score many goals. Trust me, if I score I’m going to go crazy.
“If you score, you celebrate your goal – it’s a happy moment. I don’t think [not celebrating] is how you show your respect.”
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