Van Dijk urges calm after Liverpool win at Bournemouth

Virgil van Dijk called for measured expectations after Liverpool claimed a 1-0 win at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday, extending their unbeaten start to the season.

Alexander Isak scored the only goal of the match in the second half at Vitality Stadium, earning Liverpool three points in their final game before the international break.

"This was an important win at a difficult ground, they obviously make it very uncomfortable for you," Van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle. "The pitch was pretty dry today so you had to be a little bit more direct and win your battles."

The Liverpool captain acknowledged the team could have performed better at times but stressed the value of the result. "At times we could have done a lot better but [we] come away with three points [and] a clean sheet," he said.

Van Dijk also praised young centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who again partnered him in central defence. "Still so young, still has a lot to learn, a lot to give, so let's just all stay calm. He had a very good game, very good season so far," the captain said.

Isak heads into the international break with four goals in five Premier League appearances this season. Van Dijk highlighted the collective contribution to the forward line, noting that Florian Wirtz also played a significant role in Saturday's goal.

Liverpool, managed by Andoni Iraola, have won four and drawn three of their seven matches across all competitions this season. Van Dijk warned the squad to brace for a demanding schedule on their return. "We are going to be bracing ourselves for a very, very intense period," he said.