Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was far from happy with his side’s performance in the 1-0 victory at Girona which extended the Champions League leaders’ perfect start to six matches.
Mohamed Salah’s 63rd-minute penalty – his 50th goal in the competition – was the difference but it was far from plain sailing with the first half particularly disturbing for Slot.
“If you ask me about all the six games, I’m really pleased with all the results,” he said.
No player has been involved in more goals in Europe’s big five leagues this season across all competitions than Mohamed Salah (28 – 16 goals, 12 assists)
“I’m really pleased with the five games, the way we played. I am far from pleased about the performance tonight.”
Slot gives out instructions on the touchline at Girona
Asked what had made him so unhappy he added: “A lot. Especially two things.
“If you play against a team who has such a good idea about football and know how to bring the ball out from the back like some other teams we faced recently, like [Manchester] City or Real Madrid then you have to be so intense if you want to make it difficult for them.
“But if every time you are waiting a few seconds and then if you do press, you are so easily out-played as this team can cause you problems and this is what they showed during the whole Champions League campaign, except for PSV Eindhoven away.
“I almost feel sorry for them because they deserve so much more in this campaign than the three points they have now.
“And every time we lost the ball we were not aggressive enough, almost every time they just went all the way to our goal.
“We had hardly any control in the game, maybe the second half was better – I’m trying to be positive.”
Goalkeeper Alisson celebrates after Liverpool’s win
The low intensity meant goalkeeper Alisson Becker had a busier night than he would have expected after returning from two months out with a hamstring injury.
He made five saves in the first half to help extend the club’s run without conceding for close to nine hours and Slot was indebted to the Brazil international.
“We have an incredible goalkeeper. I said as a joke, maybe the players wanted to see how fit he was to give him so much work,” he added.
“He showed he is probably one of the best – in my opinion the best goalkeeper – in the world.
“Let’s hope he can continue to keep bringing these performances and hope more he can stay fit.”
Why Alisson’s return matters
Sky Sports‘ Ben Grounds:
This result affords Slot the luxury of being able to rotate in Liverpool’s final two league-phase games. Do not underestimate the benefit of that as they attempt to fight on all fronts.
Former Southampton and Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu admitted Girona had to do their best to knock Liverpool out of their rhythm – and the hosts carved out several opportunities to stage a shock victory.
Brazil international Alisson helped the Reds to a fifth successive clean sheet in this competition, something they last achieved back in 2005. The 32-year-old had been sidelined since October with a hamstring problem which saw him miss 11 matches.
In his absence Caoimhin Kelleher has kept five clean sheets, including against Real Madrid and Manchester City, but made his first real error at Newcastle last Wednesday, with his late misjudgement allowing the hosts to snatch a 3-3 draw.
But Alisson has that extra quality. He showed that to frustrate Arnaut Danjuma on more than one occasion on a night when those in front of him were not at their best.
Girona’s end product let them down, but when there were those moments of quality, it was Alisson who stood tall to ensure there would be no hiccups in Catalonia.
“Alisson definitely didn’t look like he’d been out for two months,” said Slot. “I joked with the players that maybe they wanted to see how ready he was because they let him make so many saves. But he showed why I always say that he’s our number one.”
Darwin Nunez, who has only one goal in his last 10 appearances, was twice denied by Paulo Gazzaniga but the Uruguay international had another of those now all-too-common frustrating performances with his fluffed header from Dominik Szoboszlai’s hanging cross meaning the supporting Curtis Jones and Salah were unable to profit.
But the hosts were undeterred and would have been ahead had it not been for Alisson and Daley Blind’s lack of composure in front of goal.
The ex-Manchester United, Ajax and Bayern Munich defender’s last goal was 11 months ago and that looked evident from his swish-and-miss at Miguel Gutierrez’s cross into the six-yard area.
Alisson saved Alejandro Frances’ follow-up attempt, batted away a Miguel Gutierrez shot, flung himself to his right to keep out Yaser Asprilla’s long-range drive. Liverpool rallied after the restart, and won.
