Andoni Iraola believes that the Cherries will need to be defensively solid against a difficult Toffees side at the Vitality.
**Bournemouth**, who have just picked up nine points from a possible 24 since the end of September, have plummeted into mid-table.
The Cherries squandered a two-goal lead last time out, losing 3-2 to newly promoted **Sunderland**at the Stadium of Light.
They now have the fourth-worst defence in the league, conceding 12 goals in their previous four league games.
Iraola has urged his side to improve:
“I think it's our main issue now, we have to focus on improving defensively, it doesn't matter the goals we score if we are conceding two or three goals a game.
“We are conceding a lot of goals, which are mainly coming from set plays, where at the start of the season we weren't, which makes it very difficult in the Premier League to compete.
“I think to make something sustainable, we have to be defensively solid.”
"We will need everyone"
**Bournemouth**will be without the suspended Lewis Cook, Marcos Senesi and David Brooks on Tuesday.
**Cook**, was sent off for violent conduct in second-half stoppage time on Wearside and will now miss the next three games.
However, Iraola has insisted that everyone will need to help over the busy festive period :
“Even with those suspensions and injuries, I think we have enough talent and players to put a good team and good subs”
“We have more options, we've got Bafo (Diakite), Vejko (Milosavljević), and we've got James Hill and other players who can help us if we need them there, but I trust them 100%.
“These things are going to happen, and even more in this period of the season suspensions and injuries, and in December and January, we will need everyone”
Iraola expecting a battle against uncomfortable Everton
**Bournemouth**have a strong record against the Toffees in recent years, winning their last four in all competitions.
Including a dramatic 3-2 win at Goodson last season, where the cherries came back from a two-goal deficit to take all three points in stoppage time.
However, **Iraola**is expecting a very different game this time around :
“Different manager, I think we have references against them, we even played in Pre-Season against them, but the systems and players are different.
“I think defensively we will have very difficult duels, they are players who can make the difference one against one, their strikers make it uncomfortable.
“Big players and Big bodies, I think our defensive players will be demanded.”