Howe believes Cook can come back 'as good as ever'; Bournemouth host Liverpool on Saturday, live on Sky Sports
Friday 7 December 2018 11:26, UK
Lewis Cook can take inspiration from Bournemouth team-mate Callum Wilson in his recovery from rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, Eddie Howe says.
The 21-year-old England international sustained the injury during their 2-1 victory against Huddersfield on Tuesday and has been ruled out for six to nine months.
Wilson suffered the same injury in both his knees in the space of 16 months but has overcome lengthy periods on the treatment table to play a starring role for the Cherries and become an England international.
The most important thing is Lewis adopts Callum's positivity, his enthusiasm for the work ahead of him which I am pretty sure from seeing him he will do.
"Callum is a really good one for Lewis to look to," Howe said. "My first words to Cooky were you have got really good people in the squad that can support you and help you understand the process you are going to need to go through.
"I think Callum having been there twice, it will be really usefully for him to lend his support and experience. Just in terms of things that he did, how he came back, the time he spent on certain things.
"The most important thing is Lewis adopts Callum's positivity, his enthusiasm for the work ahead of him which I am pretty sure from seeing him he will do. In which case I will be excited to see him come back as good as ever."
Cook will undergo surgery on Saturday, when Bournemouth play Liverpool, live on Sky Sports, and Howe says the midfielder might even benefit from time away from the game in the long-run.
"I don't see an injury that can get in your mind. You just hope the surgery is complication free," he added.
"You go back 20 or 30 years it was almost a career-ending injury. It is not that way anymore with modern science.
"He has got every reason to be positive and every reason to believe he can come back better than ever because of the mental strength he will find from this.
"The appreciation of his sport, you value it every day after you get an injury like this so it can actually help you long-term."
Howe will also have to do without another midfielder for the Liverpool game, with Dan Gosling ruled out with a knee injury.
"We are still waiting for a clear diagnosis. But he is out for this game," Howe said.
"Not an ideal time to lose anyone within the squad - especially two players in the same position."
Watch Bournemouth host Liverpool on Saturday live on Sky Sports Premier League from 11.30am.
