When Alexander Isak witnessed his cross go wide of the goal in the match at Vitality Stadium, the Liverpool striker had to endure boos from the stands.
Just a few minutes later, the atmosphere completely changed. Isak received cheers from the away team's fans after scoring the decisive goal to help Liverpool beat Bournemouth 1-0 in the Premier League.
That moment partly reflects the journey of a striker: he can disappoint in many situations but only needs one accurate handling to become a hero.
Before Isak spoke up, Liverpool experienced a rather deadlocked part of the match. The away team's heavily invested attack lacked sharpness and Isak almost did not make an impression.
When the clock was close to 60 minutes, Cody Gakpo made a pass just right for Isak. The Swedish striker finished decisively, then ran towards the area for Liverpool fans to celebrate.
After a volatile first season, Isak is gradually showing an important role at Anfield.
The job of a striker is like that. He may have some poor handling, but the important thing is to help the team get closer to the opponent's goal, put the ball on their half and control the match. If the whole team does that well, he will be rewarded with goals" - coach Andoni Iraola said.
The goal against Bournemouth helped Isak score 4 goals in the Premier League this season, surpassing the total number of goals he scored in the whole previous season.
In 81 minutes on the field, Isak had 34 touches and completed 11/16 passes. However, the 26-year-old striker's contributions are not only in finishing ability.
Liverpool can also win thanks to the solidity of their defense. The Kop for the first time since August - September 2024 kept a clean sheet in 3 consecutive matches in the Premier League.
Newcomer Jeremy Jacquet impressed in the center-back position. Just a few days after being called up to the French national team for the first time, the 21-year-old defender continued to maintain a solid performance in the away match at Bournemouth.
Jacquet appeared quite modest when receiving the Man of the Match award. However, with his current form, this young center-back is showing his ability to become an important factor for Liverpool in the future.
He is still very young but has adapted well to the Premier League. In the first matches, he had some physical difficulties due to changes in pace. Today is a big step forward. He played solidly until the end of the match and is in good physical condition. I hope he will continue to improve" - Iraola said.
The victory over Bournemouth helps Liverpool maintain a 7-match unbeaten streak and have 4 wins in the last 5 matches in all competitions. This is also the first time Liverpool has defeated Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium since Iraola returned to the stadium he was attached to during his time leading the home team.
Liverpool will face a dense schedule after the international holiday, with matches in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup.
We will have to face teams in the top group, interspersed with matches in the Champions League and the clash with Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. Every 2 or 3 days we have to play a match, so we need to prepare carefully for the very harsh period ahead" - Iraola shared.
