Bournemouth's assistant manager Tommy Elphick says qualifying for Europe is "not normal" and "supersedes" everything else the Cherries have accomplished in recent years.

Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Manchester City ensured Bournemouth will play European football for the first time in their 127-year history in 2026-27.

They will do so without outgoing head coach Andoni Iraola, though, with Marco Rose taking his place ahead of next campaign.

Bournemouth could even be participating in the Champions League next season, should results go their way on the final matchday of the Premier League campaign.

Currently sitting sixth ahead of visiting Nottingham Forest, they appear unlikely to overhaul Liverpool for fifth place and need to avoid defeat to ensure seventh-placed Brighton do not overtake them.

If Bournemouth finish sixth, Liverpool win at home to Brentford, and Aston Villa lose at Manchester City, then, courtesy of the Villans' Europa League triumph on Wednesday, the Cherries will go into the Champions League.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Elphick was asked where this season ranked among Bournemouth's recent achievements and said: "It supersedes all of that. 

"It is very hard to compare generations because every group, in its own right, has done different things at different periods for this club, to set it up for the next generation.

"But the group we have got, the coach we have got, the one we are getting, the people who are running the football club, they are very special people.

"It's remarkable. So much credit has to be paid to so many people. It's very important that we all try to soak it up and enjoy it. We have to go back a long way to credit all the people that deserve it.

"There are so many people to mention that kept the club afloat. The fans... it means so much to so many people, and it is not lost on us."

As a player, Elphick represented Bournemouth in League One, the Championship and the Premier League, so he knows the journey the club has been on better than most.

"When I joined this club all those years ago, we were fighting to get out of League One, so to be dining at the top table with the big boys is something that can't be lost on anyone," he said.

"In football, you don't get this. This isn't normal. You're not meant to do things like this, so we have to take it all in and enjoy it."

Forest, who qualified for the Europa League last season and went on to reach the semi-finals, have been safe from relegation for several weeks and can only finish 15th or 16th.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Nottingham Forest – Morgan Gibbs-White 

Gibbs-White has been involved in 10 goals in his last nine Premier League appearances (eight goals, two assists).

No player has been involved in more in this timeframe, since the start of March.

Bournemouth – Junior Kroupi

Kroupi's goal against Man City on Tuesday saw him set a new record for the most Premier League goals scored by a teenager in their debut season in the competition (13).

And, with goals against Arsenal, City and Manchester United, Kroupi is the first teenager to score against each of the teams finishing in the top three in a single Premier League campaign.

MATCH PREDICTION: BOURNEMOUTH WIN

Nottingham Forest are winless in all seven of their Premier League games against Bournemouth (D3 L4).

That is the most often they have faced a side without ever winning, and the most times the Cherries have faced a side without losing in the competition.

Indeed, Bournemouth were winless in their first eight away league games against Forest between 1950 and 2021 (D4 L4), but they have since won on three of their four visits to the City Ground (D1).

Forest have also won their final league game in just one of the last six seasons (D2 L3), beating relegated Burnley 2-1 in 2023-24, and given the stakes are far higher for Bournemouth, Iraola's men are favourites. 

Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last 17 Premier League games (W8 D9). The only non-title-winning teams to have a longer run at the end of a campaign are Chelsea (21 in 2007-08) and Liverpool (19 in 2021-22), both of whom finished second.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Nottingham Forest – 30.2%

Draw – 24.2%

Bournemouth – 45.6%