Liverpool locked down another victory at Bournemouth, but the real story, the one that tells you everything, is how stingy their defense has become. They just hit three consecutive Premier League clean sheets, the first time Liverpool has done that since way back in September 2024. That’s a major statement.
Backline Ballers Are Locking It Down
Seriously, forget all the talk about front threes who cost over £100 million. Liverpool is becoming a brick wall under manager Andoni Iraola. They’re not giving up more than 0.76 expected goals in any of those clean sheet games. That’s absurd! Iraola himself said it, that the more Virgil van Dijk, Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo, and Milos Kerkez play together, the more solid that defensive line gets. He sees them getting the connections, becoming a real unit. And you gotta shout out the usual suspects: Alisson and Van Dijk were absolutely superb, with Alisson making a clutch first-half save to deny Evanilson.
The Rise of Jacquet: A £60 Million Steal?
But honestly, the biggest positive of Liverpool’s campaign so far, the one that has everyone buzzing, is Jeremy Jacquet. This dude is only 21 years old! He made the £60 million move from Rennes this summer and has started every single Premier League game since. Van Dijk said Jacquet’s shown a lot of good things this season, acknowledging he’s young with plenty to learn, but with so much to give. And get this: the kid just got his first international call-up for France from Zinedine Zidane! Iraola is super happy for him, noting how well he’s adapted to the Premier League. The manager mentioned Jacquet physically felt the change of rhythm in the first games and had to be substituted, but said the Bournemouth game was a “step forward.” Jacquet looked solid until the very end, and Iraola thinks he’s in a good physical place and hopes his development keeps going.
Iraola’s Unbeaten Run Has Everyone Talking
Iraola’s start to life at Liverpool has been largely positive, picking up nine points from a possible 15 in the Premier League. He’s also grabbed wins at Anfield in the Champions League and Carabao Cup. This 44-year-old manager is the first one to remain unbeaten in his first five league games in charge of Liverpool, with two wins and three draws, since Joe Fagan did it all the way back in September 1983. Iraola was business-like at his old club, Bournemouth, and even though he looked frustrated for parts of the game, he said they improved after the break and deserved the win. He said they’ve “definitely improved” since the first games, but there are still things they need to work on. Staying solid for a third league clean sheet in a row is huge for him, especially in a “difficult game” where Bournemouth constantly puts you under pressure.
This kind of start, especially with that defensive prowess and a young talent like Jacquet emerging, is a huge vibe for Liverpool. They are becoming seriously hard to beat under Iraola. What’s next for this squad? Can they keep this momentum rolling and make a real push this season?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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