A hard-earned three points on the road

Nobody said it was going to be pretty, and it wasn't. Liverpool travelled to the Vitality Stadium and did what good sides do, ground out a result when the performance wasn't at its peak. Alexander Isak settled it just before the hour mark with his fourth goal of the season, and that was enough to send Liverpool into the international break with maximum points from another tough away fixture.

The win also means Bournemouth have now kept three successive clean sheets in the Premier League for the first time in over two years under Andoni Iraola. That stat might not dominate the headlines but it tells you something important about where this side is defensively, resilient, organised, and difficult to break down even on a day when things weren't entirely flowing at the other end.

Jacquet shines on a big afternoon for the new France call-up

The man who caught the eye most was Jeremy Jacquet, who earned himself an 8/10 rating for a performance that was composed in possession and aggressive when the situation demanded it. For a player who has just received his first France call-up, this was exactly the kind of display you'd want to stamp your authority. Cool on the ball, committed without the ball, a proper centre-back showing.

He wasn't alone in impressing at the back. The goalkeeper had a flawless afternoon, a fine low save to deny an Evanilson flick at the near post, confident with the ball at his feet, and not a single moment to fault across the ninety minutes. The defensive unit as a whole did their job, with the centre-backs leading the line well and dealing with whatever Bournemouth threw at them.

Isak the difference as Liverpool's attack finds its rhythm after the break

It was a tale of two halves in the final third. Liverpool were less convincing before the interval, one player was twice off target from free-kicks, another inadvertently tackled Kerkez in a moment that summed up a difficult opening period, and the Reds were largely feeding off scraps. But the shift after half-time was noticeable. One player on the right became a real influence, keeping the ball well and playing a key part in creating the opener. Another grew into the match and caused enough of a nuisance at the near post to draw the foul that led to the goal.

Isak, for his part, worked tirelessly on limited service in the first half before being rewarded for his pressing and movement with the goal. He was denied a second shortly afterwards by an excellent challenge, but the job was done. Three substitutes came on during the second period and helped Liverpool see it out as Bournemouth pushed for an equaliser.

What Liverpool take into the international break

Three clean sheets on the bounce in the top flight, an unbeaten start, and a squad that is learning to win different types of matches, that's a decent package to carry into the break. There were question marks in this performance that will need addressing when the fixtures resume, but the mark of a genuine title contender is taking three points even when it's not flowing. Liverpool did exactly that at the Vitality Stadium, and Jacquet's emergence as a real force at the back may well prove to be one of the most significant stories of the weeks ahead.