Wilson: Bournemouth ready for Premier League challenge

Life in England’s top-flight is not a daunting prospect for Bournemouth, with striker Callum Wilson insisting his newly-promoted team-mates are relishing facing the Premier League’s big boys.

Bournemouth kick-off their maiden Premier League campaign at home to Aston Villa on Saturday, after Eddie Howe and Co. won the Championship last term.

Wilson scored 20 goals en route to promotion and the 23-year-old says Bournemouth are not going into the season with a small-club mentality.

“I’m keeping my feet on the ground. I know it is going to be hard this year, but I’m going into it thinking ‘I do deserve to be here’ at this moment in time, both myself and the squad,” Wilson told Sky Sports programme Soccer Saturday.

“We’ve all got the chance to express ourselves on the big stage. We’re not going into the league with the mindset: ‘We shouldn’t be here’ when we play at the big clubs.

“We’ve just got to go bang at it now.”