Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool: What Iraola saidpublished at 17:33 BST
17:33 BST
Media caption,
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola speaking to BBC Sport: "For us the result is very good. It is a difficult place to come. We could feel in the beginning of the game how intense they were and we were not winning the duels. Second half we played better, they were a little bit tired and we could finish the job.
"I wasn't happy with the first half, honestly. The first 20 minutes they were putting us under pressure. We were not comfortable. Towards the end of the first half and in the second half we found better positions on the ball."
On Jeremy Jacquet: "Happy for him, he has helped us in this defensive side with a third clean sheet in a row. I am very happy for him to get his international call-up. He is showing composure and confidence and we are happy."
Liverpool have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time since September 2024 (four in a row).
Andoni Iraola is the first manager to remain unbeaten in his first five league games in charge of Liverpool (won two, drawn three) since Joe Fagan in September 1983.
In five games this season (four goals), Liverpool's Alexander Isak has already surpassed his Premier League goal tally for the entirety of last season in the competition (three goals in 14 apps).
Analysis: Reds remain a work in progresspublished at 16:43 BST
16:43 BST
Neil Johnston BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool go into the three-week break having won back-to-back Premier League away games, while they have now kept three top-flight clean sheets in a row in a single season for the first time since the opening three games of 2024-25 - when they went on to win the title in Arne Slot's first season.
In addition, they have won four of their last five games in all competitions.
Sounds good, doesn't it?
Yet this was far from a fluent Liverpool performance and the Reds, whose next game is against leaders Manchester City on 11 October, remain a work in progress despite extending their unbeaten start under Iraola.
They struggled to impose themselves against opponents who travelled to northern Spain to play Real Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday.
It took 33 minutes before Liverpool registered a first attempt on target while it was another 11 minutes before they won a first corner.
At least Alexander Isak is starting to show some form.
The £125m signing has already scored more top-flight goals than last season, while the defensive partnership between Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet is showing promise.
Bournemouth 0-1 Liverpool: How the players ratedpublished at 16:06 BST
16:06 BST
Liverpool starting XI:
Alisson: Made a great reaction save to deny Evanilson and was authoritative throughout. Integral to a crucial Liverpool clean sheet. 7
Ronald Araujo: Looks comfortable defensively at right-back and has had a solid start to life at Liverpool, but didn't do much going forward. 6
Jeremy Jacquet: Another composed display. Made a naive challenge early on to foul Evanilson but responded well and made some great tackles. Good in possession too. Can look forward to joining up with France. 8
Virgil van Dijk: Solid again. Ensured Liverpool weren't punished for a poor first half in attack and continues to be one of their most reliable players. 7
Milos Kerkez: One of three Liverpool changes from their goalless draw at Fulham. Struggled initially and was regularly targeted with the crossfield ball over his head but can't fault him for his effort. Battled throughout. 6
Alexis Mac Allister: Did well to find space in midfield to open the game up after a slow start. Has had a positive start to life under Andoni Iraola. 6
Dominik Szoboszlai: Played with a real purpose. Had a free-kick that went just wide in the first half and was booked just after half-time but a typical Szoboszlai performance - bar a goal from outside the box. 6
Cody Gakpo: Started down the right flank and it was his quality that helped make Isak's goal as he charged down the right and put in a dangerous ball that was ultimately converted by Alexander Isak. 7
Florian Wirtz: Another day when the German struggled, though he deserves credit for playing a part in the goal. His attempt was blocked by James Hill and fell into the path of Isak. Has to do more. 5
Bradley Barcola: Threatened in phases with a deflected shot saved in the first half. It's still early days but Liverpool want more from their marquee summer signing. 6
Alexander Isak: Had such a poor game initially with a wayward effort and cross that ballooned into the stands but, like a true striker, he was in the right place at the right time and made no mistake with his finish. Already scored more Premier League goals than he did last season. 7
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Bournemouth v Liverpool" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Sunderland match", for example.
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Sutton's predictions: Bournemouth v Liverpoolpublished at 10:59 BST
10:59 BST
I am not convinced by Liverpool at all after covering them for BBC Radio 5 Live last weekend - I thought Fulham were the better side in their 0-0 draw at Anfield.
Andoni Iraola's side did not flow in the final third, certainly not in the way his Bournemouth team did last season.
I don't think the Reds players are quite in sync with what Iraola is asking them to do in terms of their press either, and Fulham played through them with ease at times.
Marco Rose is an attacking manager so if Liverpool don't buck their ideas up then Bournemouth are going to do the same, and Iraola could end up losing on his return to his former club.
The one thing in Iraola's favour is that Bournemouth seem to be finding a way to draw games they should win, so that is the result I am going with, even though though I quite fancy the Cherries to take all three points.
Bournemouth v Liverpool: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 13:36 BST 19 September
13:36 BST 19 September
Tom McCoy BBC Sport journalist
BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Sunday's match (14:00 BST), with Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola returning to former club Bournemouth.
Rose still waiting for first win
Bournemouth's 2-2 draw with Brentford followed a frustratingly familiar pattern for head coach Marco Rose, who remains without a Premier League win.
His side came from behind to lead 2-1, but an error by goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic gifted the Londoners an equaliser as the Cherries made unwanted history. They are the first team to have led in each of their opening four matches of a Premier League season without winning any of them.
Bournemouth have also drawn half of their top-flight games since the start of last season (21 of 42) and have dropped a league-high 31 points from winning positions during that period.
Nevertheless, Rose focused on the positives afterwards, highlighting that his side had 10 shots on target to Brentford's two.
Their performances suggest a first victory won't be far away, but the Cherries have failed to win any of their opening five top-flight matches twice before, doing so under Eddie Howe in 2017-18 and during Iraola's first season in charge in 2023-24.
Iraola back in Bournemouth
Iraola became something of a draw specialist during his final season at Bournemouth, and that trait has continued at Liverpool, with the Reds sharing the points in three of their opening four league matches, including both home games.
However, few recent managers have started their Anfield reigns in truly convincing fashion. Although predecessor Arne Slot had three more points at the same stage, Iraola is the first Liverpool boss this century to remain unbeaten in his opening four Premier League matches.
He can also take some confidence from back-to-back top-flight clean sheets, given Liverpool had managed only one shutout in their previous 13 matches.
Iraola guided Bournemouth to a 3-2 victory when the sides met at Vitality Stadium in January, but Liverpool have generally dominated this fixture.
The Reds have won 14 of 18 Premier League meetings with the Cherries, scoring 54 goals. Their average of three goals per game is their highest against any opponent they have faced at least 10 times in the competition.
Defending from front is Liverpool's 'attacking weapon'published at 11:06 BST 19 September
11:06 BST 19 September
Aadam Patel Liverpool reporter
Media caption,
Alexander Isak says joining Liverpool last summer was an "easy decision".
The Sweden striker arrived from Newcastle on transfer deadline day in September 2025 for a British record transfer fee of £125m.
"[Liverpool] is a massive club, and everything about the club made it pretty clear," he told BBC Sport's The Football Interview.
"And the club's ambition and the club's will to get me in as well, it was a big part of it."
Isak missed pre-season for Newcastle last summer and trained at his former club Real Sociedad amid uncertainty around his future with the Magpies, saying promises made to him there had been "broken".
However, he struggled for goals in his first season at Anfield before a leg break ruled him out from December until April this year.
This campaign, the 26-year-old has already matched last term's tally of three Premier League goals, after only four games.
Asked if there was ever a point last season when he regretted the move, Isak replied: "No, never. I would never think like that."
He added: "[The leg break] was tough. Anyone who had a long injury would know. But on the other hand, when you're in a good place and when you feel good, you don't really tend to look back because it doesn't really benefit you."
New Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola, who replaced Arne Slot in the summer, has told Isak that he wants him to defend from the front as it is an "attacking weapon" for the Reds.
On the style of football since Iraola joined, Isak said: "I think that's what the team needs. It's not just about getting the ball to me, it's about getting the ball forward and to all of the offensive players quickly.
"I think that will benefit the team. I think if we can do that then we should score more goals."
And Isak, who has 60 Premier League goals to his name, is determined to help bring silverware to Liverpool this year but insisted he is not someone who sets personal targets.
His most prolific Premier League season came with Newcastle in 2024-25 when he scored 23 goals.
"Everyone knows that success for this club is winning trophies," said Isak. "I want to score every game. Everyone is different. Some like to set targets and some don't. I'm the one that doesn't."
Iraola adapting to the club as much as the other waypublished at 18:15 BST 18 September
18:15 BST 18 September
Aadam Patel Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Andoni Iraola's preference is to name the team on the morning of the game and he saves the post-match debrief with his players for the day after the match.
There is a sense of pragmatism with his media interactions, too, after a situation where his comments to LFC TV following a pre-season friendly against Monaco were widely reported.
Iraola conceded Liverpool had run out of steam after 30 minutes and did not have the energy levels at the time to play with the intensity that he wants. It wasn't meant to be a dig at his players - rather an admittance that they were working on building that intensity up.
But there is a realisation that at a club like Liverpool, every word you say can end up shared across social media and taken in a different way than you meant. That said, Iraola comes across as calm in his news conferences and open to discussion.
It is very much a case of Iraola adapting to the club as much as the other way round.
One of the main reasons they went for Iraola was his ability to develop young talent and the average age of Liverpool's players in the Premier League this season is 25.3 - only five teams have a lower average.
Youngsters like Rio Ngumoha, 18, Trey Nyoni, 19, and Lewis Koumas, 20, all started against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and all three will play bigger roles this season than last.
Intensity is a buzzword under Iraola and that is a non-negotiable but he is already aware that, with such a brutal schedule, Liverpool will need to find ways to adapt and occasionally win games with a set-piece or an individual moment of brilliance.
Going into this weekend, they have made the most sprints in the Premier League but looked flat against Fulham last weekend in a goalless draw, less than 72 hours after beating Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Sunday's game against Bournemouth will be a fourth in 12 days and, after the international break, Liverpool have a spell of four games in 10 days. Between 11 October and 7 November, they will play nine times.
Iraola would no doubt have had a smile seeing Bournemouth win on their Europa League bow against Real Sociedad on Thursday, in the Basque region where he grew up.
Perhaps he will have a moment on the flight down from Liverpool on Saturday to think about how far he has come.
Liverpool haven't exactly had a dream start under Iraola but they are yet to lose. Becoming a team that is hard to beat is undoubtedly a step in the right direction after 12 league losses last term, but as vice-captain Alisson said last week, draws aren't good enough for Liverpool.
And Iraola, who is unbeaten in the Premier League since January across his two clubs, knows that a win on familiar territory on Sunday would be the perfect way to head into the international break.
Iraola on Bournemouth return, Araujo and Ngumoha's England callpublished at 15:37 BST 18 September
15:37 BST 18 September
Flora Snelson BBC Sport journalist
Media caption,
Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium (kick-off 14:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Iraola has no fresh injury concerns before his side travel to the south coast.
On returning to the Vitality Stadium for the first time since he gave up his job as Bournemouth manager, Iraola said he is looking forward to "meeting and hugging" the players and staff, but noted: "There is another part that is the most important one right now - that we need to go there and beat them and be as ruthless as possible."
Iraola said that Bournemouth haven't changed much since he left: "They continue to be very dangerous, a very good team."
Since Bournemouth played a Europa League game on Thursday, Iraola said his side have the advantage of being fresher.
On the unique knowledge the teams will have of each other on Sunday: "It's going to be a tricky one because they know very well what we try to do with or without the ball. But I also have this advantage. I know their strengths and weaknesses."
Asked about his expectations of Florian Wirtz, Iraola said he rates the German "very highly" and judges him in the same way as every other player. He added he is also happy with how summer signing Bradley Barcola is getting on.
Iraola praised the "spirit" of another new recruit, Ronald Araujo, and his ability to cope with the physical demands of playing full-back, adding that he is encouraging the Barcelona loanee to learn English so that his side can make the most of his experience.
On whether having lots of strong wingers gave him a selection headache, Iraola noted that in most games all four get a chance to play and said: "We will need them all. For me, it's a luxury to have these kind of options."
Iraola said that Rio Ngumoha and Alex Scott, whom he worked with at Bournemouth, "absolutely deserve" their places in Thomas Tuchel's latest England squad.
He praised Ngumoha recovering from an indifferent start to the game against Tottenham to contribute to two of Liverpool's goals and admired the youngster's attitude: "He's not saying 'I prefer to play here', he asks 'what do we need?' and is ready to do it."
Liverpool speak to Brentford's Dykes in sporting director huntpublished at 12:49 BST 18 September
12:49 BST 18 September
Sami Mokbel Senior football correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool are speaking to external candidates as part of their search for a new sporting director, with Brentford technical director Lee Dykes among the candidates the club has met.
Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon is leading the process.
As well as Dykes, Brentford sporting director Phil Giles is also admired, but luring him away from west London is likely to be difficult.
FSG has spoken to other external candidates in addition to Dykes, who has played a key role in the Bees' consolidation as a Premier League side following their promotion in 2021, having arrived at the club in May 2019.
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Bournemouth).
Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).
Gossip: Reds will have to pay full release clause for Rayanpublished at 08:15 BST 18 September
08:15 BST 18 September
Liverpool will have to pay the full £130m release clause to buy 20-year-old Brazilian Rayan from Bournemouth despite manager Andoni Iraola's relationship with the midfielder from his time as Cherries boss. (ESPN Brazil via Caught Offside, external)
Koumas 'a good stylistic match' for an Iraola teampublished at 12:59 BST 17 September
12:59 BST 17 September
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool.com journalist Matt Addison has said young forward Lewis Koumas "certainly made the most" of his opportunity to start Tuesday's Carabao Cup win over Tottenham.
The 20-year-old played 86 minutes, was relentless in leading the press from the front, and was denied a goal by a fine save from Spurs goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
"I thought he was excellent," Addison told BBC Radio Merseyside.
"It was exactly the type of performance Andoni Iraola would have wanted from him.
"It was the exact kind of pressing and relentlessness - he just never ever stops. He obviously has a lot of talent and quality in possession as well, and his link-up play looked pretty good in moments, but the big thing was the energy.
"You could see exactly what it meant to him to be in that position. He was going to run and run and he certainly made the most of it.
"Those are the physical demands you have to meet to be an Iraola player so that is all positive.
"It is a good stylistic match. He is not going to be in the starting XI for big games but I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more impressive cameos."
Listen to the full discussion below or on BBC Sounds
The celebration was for myself - Szoboszlaipublished at 12:13 BST 17 September
12:13 BST 17 September
Aadam Patel Liverpool reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai has insisted that his celebration after scoring a stunning goal against Tottenham on Wednesday was for himself.
No Premier League player has scored more goals from outside the box (13) in all competitions than Szoboszlai since he signed for Liverpool in July 2023.
The Liverpool midfielder scored a screamer at Anfield to wrap up the win for Andoni Iraola's side in the Carabao Cup and celebrated by pointing his hand to his ear.
Asked if he was trying to make a point with his celebration, Szoboszlai said: "No, (it was) just for myself. I just decided before the game and I just did it."
And the 25-year-old insisted that he was not aware of any criticism after Liverpool drew 0-0 with Fulham last weekend - in a game where Szoboszlai won just one of his 10 duels.
"This goal (against Tottenham) was for the people who are always next to me because we are also humans so we can have bad games and we can have bad days," said Szoboszlai.
"I think never ever was a player who played every game of his life (well) so there will be days also and games where I am going to play bad, but I think the most important is the reaction and I think I reacted quite well and hopefully I can keep on going on Sunday against Bournemouth."
On his role in midfield, Szoboszlai stressed that under Iraola, Liverpool do not play with two midfielders next to each other.
"We play with one six, one eight and one 10, so the six and the eight are not next to each other, the eight is a little bit higher and the six is a little bit deeper and the 10 is a little bit even higher so it is not two next to each other," he said. "So you put the pictures or in the media - it is a six, an eight and a 10 so yes, it is just the system."
Asked about his preference between midfield roles, Szoboszlai, who is now one of Liverpool's vice-captains, added: "I just want to be on the pitch. Maybe I am not at the best in the six position because I win one of the 10 duels but maybe the next game I am going to win eight out of 10, so I am then a good six?
"So it's always balance. There will be games where we are not playing at our best as a team, as personally me or somebody else, but it is always 'leave the past and then the next one' - the reaction is what matters."
