EVERY word Cherries boss Andoni Iraola said in front of the cameras at his pre-match press conference, ahead of tomorrow's trip to Luton Town (3pm).

Q: What is the team news going into the game?

AI: It’s going to be difficult, this time. Sometimes I am very clear and I tell you this will be and this will not, but this week is going to be difficult. Because like I told you after the (Crystal Palace) game, we have some cases of I don’t want to say ‘illness’ but they are not probably feeling 100 per cent, but we still have two days. Tomorrow they could come fresh and they are available for the game.

It is true we have some players who are let’s say in doubtful conditions to perform if the game was today.

Luckily for us, we still have two days and we hope they can recover and help us. They are not fresh injuries, nothing injury-related, but it is true we have some situations we are dealing with day to day.

Q: How many players have been affected?

AI: It is difficult for me to say. If I tell you and then they play on Saturday you will know he has been ill and probably he is not 100 per cent. But it is true that we have some doubts, yes.

Most of the times the players take their own decisions.

We cannot decide because they are feeling what they are feeling. Some recover very well and the next day they are fine.

The key for me is if they have a temperature or not. If you have a temperature, probably you will be two or three days with these symptoms and it is difficult to play football with a temperature.

It is a matter of different situations. But we still have two days and I hope we don’t miss more players.

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Q: How do you reflect on the comeback 4-3 win over Luton last month?

AI: We have already kind of played twice against them, even though the first game didn’t finish. We could see games with a lot of chances, a lot of goals, a high rhythm because sometimes they go to mark man-to-man and we go pretty similar. There are spaces, there are transitions.

I think it is going to be different, because of their pitch. They have the advantage that they play at home this time and I’m sure it’s going to be difficult, because it has been difficult for every team that has gone there.

They are also coming from a very difficult schedule. The last two months they faced almost all the top teams in the competition, so I am sure they will be looking forward to our game and trying to beat us. We have to be ready.

Bournemouth Echo:

Q: Do you feel there is a stronger bond between Cherries and Luton after what happened with Tom Lockyer earlier this season?

AI: Definitely, because when you have a situation like happened here with Tom, you leave football to one side and talk about other things which are much more important. I think there will always be a connection.

In these difficult moments, when you are together, also the history of the last years of both clubs, that they’ve played each other in different divisions. Luckily for both, now we are facing each other in the Premier League.

I wish them all the best. But the problem is, we are facing them and we also need the points. We want to win the game. It is important also for us.

Q: Does it help you that Luton come into this game on the back of difficult away matches at Tottenham and Arsenal?

AI: I think not the last two games, but the last two months, they have been facing very, very difficult opposition.

I think they have been doing good things, but it is very difficult to win against these top teams. It is very difficult for them and it is very difficult for us, for everyone.

I am sure they will be looking that 'we are playing at home against Bournemouth, it is a very good chance for us to put us in a better spot'.

But we also are thinking the same way. We are coming from two hard-fought wins and we want to finish the week strong and put us in a good position, because we also know that the other games we have until the end of the season are, in theory, really difficult.

Q: How delighted are you with the progress to have already surpassed last season’s points tally and how excited are you about your team?

AI: Obviously we are in a good place in the standings. I think we have improved a lot since the beginning of the season, obviously.

We are more solid. We started the season conceding too many goals. Once we balanced this better, I think the results have been better also.

I think we have always been a threat offensively. We have good players there and normally have chances.

But once we’ve improved our defensive numbers, I think the results have been better.

But we still have more games and we can improve and want to improve the points we have right now, knowing that it’s not going to be easy.