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First Team

Team news: All fit except Stanislas

Junior Stanislas will miss the play-off semi-final first leg with Brentford, but the Cherries' squad is otherwise close to full strength.

AFC Bournemouth head into Monday's 6pm kick-off knowing that a win over the Bees across two legs will set them up for the showpiece final at Wembley on May 29th.

Just over 2,000 home supporters will be back inside Vitality Stadium for the match, the first time they have been allowed to attend in 2021.

Stanislas missed last weekend's match with Stoke City due to a hamstring strain, and is not yet ready to come back into the squad, as Jonathan Woodgate explained.

"We're okay, apart from Lewis Cook which is long term. Junior Stanislas may be a week or two, we'll have to see closer to the time, but other than that we're okay," said the head coach.

"There's a chance he will be back for the second leg, we'll see. He's just got a slight hamstring strain."

Woodgate expanded to talk about the big-game players he feels he has in his squad: "We know on the big stage the players should be there, I'm sure they will be.

"We're got some outstanding individual talent in that changing room and we all need to turn up and do what we can do.

"I wouldn't change any of my players for theirs, I love the squad that I've got."

The opponents from west London finished the season third in the table, their line led by Championship top scorer Ivan Toney and his 31 goals, Woodgate explaining the tough task in front of his side as they look to progress.

"The players are focused, it's a totally different ball now going into the play-offs," he said.

"We've had two defeats against Brentford and they're an outstanding team, they've been on a run this season of not being beaten in 21 games at one point and now they're on a run of 12 games.

"We know it's going to be a very difficult game against them, there's no doubt about that.

"They are the favourites to go up and they deserve to be the favourites because they've had an outstanding season. Thomas (Frank) has done a fantastic job there."