ANDONI Iraola feels Marcus Tavernier “has to be a very important player” after making his return from injury.

Tavernier made his return from a knee problem to come off the bench and provide an assist away at Brentford before the international break.

The 24-year-old then stepped up his fitness with 45 minutes for the development squad during the international break and is now deemed fit enough for selection from the start, with Chelsea coming to town this weekend.

Asked how excited he is to have Tavernier available again, head coach Iraola told the Daily Echo: “For us, I think Marcus has to be a very important player.

“In the first trainings with us, he was really good.

“He was unlucky. He had a knock and the knee problem and we’ve been waiting for him.”

Tavernier’s debut campaign at Cherries was hampered by two separate hamstring injuries.

Asked if keeping him fit now is the key, Iraola said: “I think he has had previously especially hamstring muscle injuries.

“This one he had in pre-season was not about his muscle.

“He is doing his stuff. He is working in the gym not to have these muscle injuries.

“He was just unlucky. He had a knock with another teammate and twisted his knee and we hope we’ve had a plan with some players that have had muscle injuries previously.

“Justin (Kluivert) also with him. They are doing their stuff and we hope they don’t have these kind of issues.”