Alexander Isak produced the decisive moment as Liverpool edged Bournemouth 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, giving manager Andoni Iraola a winning return to his former club.
The match remained goalless for most of the contest before Isak broke the deadlock in the 57th minute, finishing from a move involving Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz. The goal was enough to hand Liverpool all three points.
The victory keeps Liverpool unbeaten after five Premier League matches and sends them into the international break with another win, although their overall performance left plenty of room for improvement.
Liverpool struggled to create clear-cut opportunities for long periods, managing only six efforts on target. Bournemouth, meanwhile, had one of the better chances of the first half when Evanilson’s close-range flick forced a sharp save from goalkeeper Alisson.
Isak eventually settled the contest after Gakpo created space down the right and delivered the ball into the area. A challenge on Wirtz caused the ball to fall kindly for the Sweden international, who calmly fired home his fourth Premier League goal of the season.
The goal continued Isak’s impressive start to life at Liverpool, while Gakpo’s contribution also stood out. The Dutch forward has now provided the assist for all four of Isak’s league goals this season.
Iraola enjoys emotional return
The result had added significance for Iraola, who returned to Bournemouth for the first time since leaving the club for Liverpool.
The Spanish manager had previously guided Bournemouth to their highest-ever Premier League finish and secured European football during his time on the south coast.
He received a warm reception from the home supporters before kick-off, but his focus quickly shifted to securing victory for his new side.
Reflecting on the match, Iraola acknowledged that Bournemouth made things difficult but said Liverpool had improved compared with their early-season performances.
Liverpool still have work to do
Despite collecting three points, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk urged his teammates not to become carried away by their unbeaten start.
Van Dijk described the victory as important, particularly because of the difficulty of playing at Bournemouth, but acknowledged that Liverpool could have performed better.
Liverpool’s latest victory takes them to sixth place, while Bournemouth remain without a league win under new manager Marco Rose.
For Iraola, however, the immediate priority was achieved: Liverpool secured another three points, kept a clean sheet and head into the international break with their unbeaten record intact.
