Football news - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp assesses Bournemouth performance

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring for the Reds after 35 minutes before Naby Keita scored just before half-time to double the advantage.

And the Cherries were dead and buried in front of their own fans nine minutes after the break when Mo Salah got on the scoresheet, but it was the defensive clean sheet that delighted Klopp in particular.

"It was a professional performance, controlled, scoring wonderful goals. We didn't want to make it exciting again so we wanted to control Bournemouth," Klopp said.

"The most used word in the dressing room at the moment is clean sheet - finally!

"It is not about being constantly exciting it is about doing the right stuff.

"There were not a lot of difficult moments to defend and that is good, important.

"Nearly a perfect day. I don't want to blame or whatever the groups I had before but this is a special group.

"Without that we have no chance to fulfil the Liverpool dreams. You need a strong character and this team has a strong character."

Klopp had made seven changes to the starting line-up and rested the likes of Sadio Mane and Trent Alexander-Arnold with one eye on Tuesday's trip to Red Bull Salzburg.

The Reds cannot afford to lose in Austria, a result that would likely see the defending champions knocked out of Europe's premier club competition in the group stages.

Liverpool are now 11 points clear in the Premier League with Leicester and Manchester City still to play this weekend but the Anfield boss knows there is important work to come and the title is far from won.

"This was a strong, strong, strong performance. So mature and so clear in all things," Klopp added.

"We try with all we have. There will be moments especially between the games where we have to switch the machine off and then switch it on again and be there. We have only three days and play Red Bull Salzburg in an all or nothing game."