Bournemouth boss wishes Neil Warnock well as news emerges Middlesbrough player tested positive for coronavirus before Watford clash

Boro will host the Cherries at the Riverside this weekend, yet Warnock won’t be in attendance as he spends a period in isolation in accordance with Government guidelines.

Warnock’s assistants Kevin Blackwell and Ronnie Jepson will take charge of the side, like they did against Barnsley on Tuesday night.

The other members of Boro's coaching staff have tested negative for the virus, yet a player did test positive before last week's trip to Watford and has been self-isolating since.

No one else in the squad has tested positive or complained about feeling unwell at this stage.

Ahead of the game, which will be attended by 1,000 fans as part of the EFL’s pilot scheme, Tindall said the clubs have been in regular contact regarding everyone’s safety.

"I would like to wish Neil and the other member of staff all the best. I hope they're well and have a quick recovery,” said Tindall.

"Both doctors have been in regular contact and they're not concerned about the match. I'm sure all the protocols will be in place to keep us safe."

Despite Warnock’s absence, Tindall is still expecting a tough game, with Bournemouth looking to record back-to-back league wins following last week’s 3-2 win over Blackburn.

“You always get a difficult game when you play a Neil Warnock team,” Tindall added. "We've watched their previous two games and they're very, very competitive.

"We're not expecting anything less than a very difficult game."

"I've got huge belief in all my players and I feel I could pick any one of them and they wouldn't let me down and deliver a good performance."

"It's a good headache to have as a manager when you have good players to choose from."

Bournemouth beat Crystal Palace on penalties in the Carabao Cup in mid-week and Tindall says there are no fresh injury concerns from that match.

"Fortunately, there are no new injury concerns from the Crystal Palace game which is refreshing,” he added.

"Chris Mepham and Steve Cook were only 70 per cent fit going into the Blackburn game but both have had a good week training."

A message from the Editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to the Hartlepool Mail website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit here to sign up. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.