CHERRIES must persevere despite disappointing dropped points, Andoni Iraola said.

Speaking after Saturday’s match against Chelsea, where AFC Bournemouth lost to a late Christopher Nkuku goal despite having the better of the game, the Basque boss said his side must keep going.

“Especially for me, the games we played at home against Newcastle and Chelsea we deserved, I don't know if six, but definitely four points at least,” he said.

“We’ve played very, very well and we go just with a one-point reward and we have to keep doing the good things we are doing and improve like all the teams.

“I think we are in a good line, but we also have to know now that we have a very difficult schedule. Now we go to Anfield, we have difficult games.

“So, we have to keep doing the things we did today. I think we have to give us chances in every game even if can’t stop [the] opposition.

“Today we gave us a lot of chances, we didn't receive the reward but it's the line we have to follow, I think.

“I think we can take a lot of positives, obviously from today, I think it's very difficult to play against Chelsea and have more chances, more shots, more corners, more a lot of things.”

On next week’s game against Liverpool at Anfield, Iraola said: “Obviously it's going to be even more difficult.

“You play away in Anfield against the team that was playing very well.

“I haven't seen all the game today but after a loss, especially at home, it makes probably the game even more difficult for us and we will have to be as good or even better if we want to have any chance there.”