The arithmetic of an advanced competitors might stay unclear however one factor is clear. Liverpool will skip the Champions League’s inaugural knock-out play-off spherical and head straight for the final 16. They in impact booked their place, and a top-eight end within the group levels, on an evening determined by two males who gained them the competitors in 2019.

Mohamed Salah scored a penalty, as he did within the ultimate then. Alisson Becker saved loads of pictures, as he did on that Madrid night time. Now Liverpool have a Spanish double in a few weeks, even when Girona acquitted themselves higher than Actual Madrid did at Anfield, even when Arne Slot was delighted with their efforts towards Carlo Ancelotti’s facet and important of the show in Catalonia. However the consequence was the identical they usually have 18 factors. Such are the peculiarities of the format that their reward shall be fewer video games. Liverpool ought to now have a midweek off in February, a couple of days earlier than they go to Manchester Metropolis, who might be within the play-off spherical. That could be the final word reward for victory.

Now Slot has 19 wins in 22 video games with Liverpool, a clear sweep of six in Europe for six-time European champions. It’s a good report however the perfectionist in Slot was sad. “In the event you ask me about all of the six video games, I’m actually happy with all the outcomes,” he mentioned. “I’m actually happy with the primary 5 video games, however I’m removed from happy in regards to the efficiency tonight.” Specifically, he was irritated by an absence of depth. “Each time we misplaced the ball, we weren’t aggressive sufficient,” he lamented. “We had hardly any management at everywhere in the recreation.”

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And a win got here testomony to Slot getting a significant name proper. Liverpool’s final Champions League outing was outlined by Caoimhin Kelleher’s penalty save from Kylian Mbappe. With Alisson match after 11 video games out and two months on the sidelines, the Brazilian returned. He was not eased again into motion; his defence and a powerful Girona facet didn’t afford him that luxurious.

Alisson made 5 saves earlier than Salah scored, 4 earlier than half-time, three in an eight-minute spell early within the match. It was a terrific show which was testomony to Slot’s certain contact in his decision-making. Alisson’s first cease got here when Girona received each full-backs into the field, then Daley Blind missed his kick from six yards and, with a much less clear probability, Alejandro Frances drew a scrambling cease. He quickly denied each Bryan Gil and Miguel Gutierrez, made a flying save from the spectacular Yaser Asprilla’s well-struck long-range shot and saved out Arnaut Danjuma’s effort simply after the break. “We’ve an unimaginable goalkeeper,” mentioned Slot.

It amounted to a one-man rearguard motion. As at Newcastle final week, Liverpool weren’t sufficiently safe defensively. They scarcely appeared to learn from the remainder they had been afforded by the postponement of the Merseyside derby. There was a component of generosity to their objective, a penalty kindly given for Donny van de Beek’s problem on Luis Diaz, with assistance from a VAR evaluation. Girona are entitled to really feel aggrieved however Salah, who missed from the spot towards Actual, scored this time. It was his sixteenth objective of a productive season, even when he had a quiet night time, and bolstered Liverpool’s status as second-half specialists: 20 of their final 23 targets have come after the break.

They might have struck earlier if Darwin Nunez had been extra scientific, but that may be a common chorus. “Each striker has a interval the place each objective goes in,” mentioned Slot. However that’s within the distant previous for Nunez, who has solely three targets in his final 29 appearances. He might have had a brace earlier than the break when he was despatched clear on objective by, first, Ryan Gravenberch, then Salah. But when Paulo Gazzaniga’s superb stops instructed good goalkeeping was not confined to Alisson, Nunez must have carried out higher.

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With Diogo Jota returning quickly, his begins might grow to be rarer. Because it was, he was substituted when Diaz moved from the left wing to steer the road. The Colombian was the brightest of Liverpool’s entrance three; irritated by Frances’s try and get him despatched off, he was fired up.

Girona proved awkward opponents. “I can solely be constructive about Girona,” mentioned Slot. “This workforce may cause you loads of issues. I nearly really feel sorry for them as they deserve a lot extra.” However this proved a fifth defeat in six for supervisor Michel’s facet. An early exit beckons for final season’s La Liga overachievers.

An oddity of a floor might not stage way more Champions League soccer. That is the smallest stadium on this season’s competitors, with a capability beneath 10,000 as Uefa decided three short-term stands can’t be used. Liverpool had been solely in a position to convey 492 followers, who wanted to point out they’d attended 27 earlier European away video games to qualify for a ticket. They had been nearly rewarded with a novel sight, however Joe Gomez’s prolonged seek for a primary Liverpool objective continued after his header was tipped over by Gazzaniga. As a substitute, they received to witness one thing extra acquainted: a Salah objective and a few Alisson stops.