Bournemouth manager boss Andoni Iraola has hailed two of his star performers this weekend.

The Spanish head coach believes the backbone provided by Lewis Cook and Ryan Christie has been pivotal for the team's turnaround in results.

The Cherries started the season miserably, but have climbed out of the relegation zone.

Christie and Cook impressed in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, with Iraola stating post-game to the Daily Echo: “I think both have been very good in the last games where they were playing the 6 or 8 positions.

“I think they are understanding each other very well, and I think it's one of the reasons probably that we are playing better, we are more comfortable.

“We were dangerous today in transitions.

“They were also the same.

“I think both of the teams, whenever someone lost the ball in the middle, we were struggling because we both had threats up front.

“It was difficult to defend the transitions, but I am really happy with the performances."

“I am happy because he is still having the chances, even playing lower," Iraola continued on Christie

“He's arriving the same way into the box.

“He had a couple of very good situations.

“Sometimes he decides to make the last pass, like in the first goal.

“Sometimes he's shooting from the outside and I think it's something we should encourage.

“It's not because he's playing lower, he doesn't have to make these kind of runs or ball carries that he does so well."