Bournemouth handed injury blow as David Brooks is ruled out for five weeks with ankle injury

The Welshman was the star of the show in the 4-0 demolition of Chelsea in midweek but the 21-year-old picked up an issue and Eddie Howe will have to make do without him for the next month.

According to the Sun, physios have diagnosed five weeks away from the action for Brooks which will see him miss yet now faces being sidelined for crunch clashes against Liverpool, Wolves and Arsenal.

Brooks made the move to the south coast last summer in an £11million switch from Sheffield United and has enjoyed a breakthrough season.

He has six goals and four assists to his name this term and has shown maturity beyond his years which has seen him linked to Manchester United.

It is the latest setback for Bournemouth boss Howe having already lost Jefferson Lerma to an ankle injury and striker Callum Wilson through a knee issue.

Bournemouth produced one of their finest performances of the campaign against a below-par Chelsea side with Brooks netting along with Charlie Daniels and a brace from Joshua King.

Saturday sees Howe take his side to South Wales in what will be Cardiff’s first home game since the disappearance of striker Emiliano Sala.

The Welsh club put on a number of tributes in their midweek trip to Arsenal and there will be an emotional atmosphere inside the ground on Saturday afternoon in front of a sell-out crowd.