CHERRIES skipper Lloyd Kelly says Cherries will have to take heavy defeat with a “pinch of salt”, believing that his side are more than capable of bouncing back from a 4-0 loss away at Manchester City.

Kelly played the full 90 minutes at the Etihad as the reigning champions raced into a 3-0 lead before the break courtesy of goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, and Phil Foden.

Half-time fears of the floodgates opening further were quelled as Cherries mostly kept City at bay in the second half, but Jefferson Lerma was unfortunate to turn home a City cross for the fourth.

In the first half Cherries started deep and rarely ventured out of their own half, but after conceding the opener, they opened up and started to come forward with more regularity.

That lead to De Bruyne and Foden scoring via counter attacks, effectively finishing the game before the interval.

When asked if the mentality changed between the first and the second goals, Kelly told the Daily Echo: “No, I don't think so.

“I think obviously we came into this game with the mentality of we're going to be coming up against one of the best teams in the world at the moment and we're going to have to adapt our play in game.

“I think obviously later on in the game I think we managed to be a little bit more brave on the ball, and of course that's when the counter attacks came.

“Of course, when you come up against the quality like City possess, they're going to cause you problems and they're going to take their chances when they come.”

Despite conceding four goals and barely laying a glove on the defending champs, the 23-year-old shared that playing sides of the ilk of Manchester City was the reason Cherries battled so hard to win promotion last term.

“I said to the boys before this game this is what we worked so hard for last season to be in this league, and come up against these types of teams and it's part and parcel of being in the Premier League.

“I think everyone in the changing room of course, no one wants to come out a game losing 4-0, but at the same time as I mentioned at the start it's we've come up against one of the best teams in the world at the moment and I think you’ve just got to take it with a pinch of salt and move on to the next game.”