HEAD coach Scott Parker insisted the levels had gone up for Jaidon Anthony and the rest of Cherries’ squad but said: “Hopefully, he has a role to play this year for us.”

Anthony burst on to the scene at Cherries under Parker last season, scoring eight times and registering six assists to help the Dorset club earn promotion from the Championship.

Having missed just one league game last term, the 22-year-old winger is yet to feature in Cherries’ opening two Premier League contests.

He was an unused substitute in the opening-day win against Aston Villa and a 4-0 defeat at Manchester City last time out.

Asked how big a role Anthony could play for his side this season, Parker told the Daily Echo: “Hopefully he can, for sure. Definitely the levels have gone up, of course.

“Jaidon has had a good pre-season and I think like anything regarding myself and team selection – I pick players who I feel are best fit to certain games.

“Players who have shown me during the week or the start of the week that they are in the right frame of mind and certainly training the right way.

“And Jaidon, for sure, will have opportunities this year and hopefully he can take (to) the Premier League like he did last year.

“He is in probably a similar position in what he was last year in terms of the step up and how he can be. He is now in that position again with the transition of Championship to Prem.

“Hopefully he can do that.”

Should Anthony make his Premier League debut for Cherries at Vitality Stadium today (5.30pm), it would come against the side in Arsenal who released him as a 16-year-old.

The Hackney-born star signed for Cherries in 2016 and has progressed through the ranks at the Dorset club.

Asked how much credit Anthony deserved for never losing belief following his release, Parker replied: “Everything Jaidon did last year is all down to him.

“He had some setbacks along the way, been released from Arsenal. I gave him an opportunity.

“I didn’t play the game for him. I didn’t make him come in everyday or I wasn’t the one actually on the field. That was all down to him.

“I gave him the opportunity and tried to help him and tried to coach him. But, ultimately, he deserves full credit for everything he’s done.

“At this present moment in time, he’s not found himself in and around the side but certainly, hopefully, he has a role to play this year for us.”