Alexander Isak's late goal gave Liverpool a 1-0 Premier League victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. The defeat leaves the Cherries 17th in the table with just three points from their opening five matches.
Andoni Iraola, returning to manage against his former club, saw his side undone by an 81st-minute strike from the Swedish forward. The result continued a difficult start to the season for Bournemouth, who have now won none of their five league games.
Despite the loss, Iraola highlighted positive aspects of his team's performance. He was particularly pleased with the display of young defender Jérémy Jacquet, who was named Player of the Match. The 21-year-old summer signing, who recently earned his first senior call-up to the France national team, looked solid throughout.
"I'm happy for him as he also received his first international callup," said Iraola. "He's also very young and adapted really well to the Premier League. The first games, he was physically feeling the change of rhythm..."
The manager also discussed the challenge of facing a clinical striker like Isak, who now has four league goals this season. "A striker's job is like this," Iraola noted. "He had a couple of crosses that he did not hit properly or control but in the end he has to help us to be closer to the box, to play in the opposition's half and have more meaningful possession. And then if the team is playing there, he will receive rewards in terms of goals."
Bournemouth's recent form shows a mixed picture, with the loss to Liverpool preceded by a 2-1 win away at Real Sociedad and a 2-2 draw with Brentford. The team has scored six goals but conceded eight so far this campaign. Key attacking threat Marcus Tavernier leads the scoring charts with three goals in four appearances.
The squad continues to deal with injury absences, with Amine Adli, Eli Junior Kroupi, and Julián Araujo currently sidelined. Their return will be a boost as Bournemouth look to climb the standings and improve on their current position. The immediate focus shifts to the international break before the trip to Stamford Bridge to face 10th-placed Chelsea.
The report in full is at espn.com
