'Today has been a step forward' - Andoni Iraola hails summer signing Jeremy Jacquet as Liverpool grind out vital victory at Bournemouth

Liverpool climbed to sixth in the Premier League table following a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday. Alexander Isak proved to be the difference-maker in the second half, registering his fourth league goal of the campaign to eclipse his entire tally from last season.

While the visitors were far from their fluid best on the south coast, their defensive solidity ultimately secured the points. At the heart of that rearguard action was Jacquet. The 21-year-old centre-back anchored the backline to help Liverpool claim their third consecutive league clean sheet; a feat they had not achieved since the beginning of the 2024-25 campaign.

Iraola was quick to single out Jacquet during his post-match press conference, highlighting the youngster's growing stamina and seamless transition to English football following his maiden call-up to the France squad.

"I'm happy for him because he's also received his first international call-up," the Liverpool boss said. "He's going with France and that is a big national team and I know that he is happy. He's still very young, he is adapting really well to the Premier League."

Addressing Jacquet's initial fitness hurdles, Iraola noted a clear progression in the defender's physical conditioning. "I think in the first games, physically he was feeling the change of rhythm, he was finishing with cramps, finishing really tired and we had to sub him," he said. "Today has been a step forward. He looked solid until the end and I think he's finished physically also in a good place. I hope he can continue this development."

The narrow victory maintains Liverpool's unbeaten start to the season. Despite acknowledging that his side faced a stern test against a combative Bournemouth outfit, Iraola expressed satisfaction with their overarching trajectory and defensive resilience.

"I think overall we've improved, definitely since the first games," Iraola stated. "I am happy it is the third clean sheet in a row in the league. Today is a kind of difficult game, I knew you never play comfortably here. Bournemouth don't allow you to play comfortably normally, they put you under pressure and you have to adapt and you have to win this kind of game."

He also defended Isak's overall contribution beyond the winning strike, adding: "The striker's job is like this. I think he has to help us to be closer to the box, to play in the opposition half, to have meaningful possession and then, if the team is playing there, he will receive the rewards in terms of goals."

Following the upcoming international break, Liverpool face a punishing sequence of fixtures across multiple competitions. The Reds must navigate a congested calendar that features clashes against top-four rivals, Champions League commitments, and a Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea, all played with quick turnarounds.

Iraola offered a stark warning about the tests that lie ahead. "We still have to get ready because the schedule that we have now, it's very difficult," he stressed. "So we have to get ready because this next month, after this break, it's going be very demanding for us."