Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has voiced strong backing for his high-profile summer recruits ahead of his return to face former club Bournemouth. The Cherries host the Reds at Vitality Stadium on Saturday, with Iraola bringing a Liverpool side sitting eighth in the table. He expressed full faith in the abilities of German playmaker Florian Wirtz and French winger Bradley Barcola. "I have complete confidence in them," Iraola told reporters in his pre-match press conference. "They are top players who are adapting and will show their quality." The fixture marks a swift reunion for the Spanish coach, who left Bournemouth to take the Anfield helm in the close season. His old team are currently 15th in the Premier League, having taken three points from their first four matches. Their recent form, however, shows resilience with an unbeaten run of five games. That sequence includes a 2-1 victory away at Real Sociedad in midweek and a 2-2 home draw with Brentford last weekend. Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier were on the scoresheet in those matches, with Tavernier the club's top scorer this season with three goals. Bournemouth will be without the injured trio of Amine Adli, Eli Junior Kroupi, and Julián Araujo for the contest. Iraola's Liverpool have made a solid start to the campaign and will look to close the nine-point gap to leaders Arsenal. The manager's knowledge of the Bournemouth squad and setup adds an intriguing layer to the encounter. He will be familiar with the threats posed by players like Tavernier and Kluivert, who scored in the recent win over Sociedad. For Bournemouth, the match represents a chance to build on their positive momentum and claim a first league win of the season. The game kicks off at 15:00 BST on Saturday, 20 September.