Bournemouth lose Francis to ruptured ACL

Bournemouth have confirmed Simon Francis will miss the rest of the season after becoming the club's latest anterior cruciate ligament victim. Club captain Francis sustained the injury in the first half of the Cherries' Boxing Day loss to Tottenham in the Premier League, leaving the Wembley pitch on a stretcher.

He will now face six to nine months on the sidelines, joining Lewis Cook in the treatment room after the England midfielder suffered the same injury earlier this month.

"We are devastated to have lost Simon to a serious knee injury," Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe told the club's official website.

"It is a huge blow for us to lose our captain and someone who has performed so well and consistently for the team over a long period of time.

"There is a long road ahead, but Simon is a model professional who has a positive mindset and is surrounded by good people. I know he will leave no stone unturned in order to get back as soon as possible.

"He will receive the best possible medical care as well as the love and support of everyone at the club."

Bournemouth have had dreadful luck with knee injuries to first-team players since they won promotion to the Premier League in 2015. Striker Callum Wilson has twice sustained similar setbacks to those facing Cook and Francis, while Tyrone Mings missed the vast majority of the 2015-16 campaign after suffering torn knee ligaments on his club debut.

Bournemouth are back in action away to Manchester United on Sunday having lost seven of their last nine Premier League games, slipping to 11th in the table.