Liverpool are virtually by means of to the final 16 of the Champions League after Mohamed Salah’s penalty earned them a slender 1-0 win over Girona on the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi.
The outcome means Liverpool have received their first six video games in European competitors for less than the second time within the membership’s historical past. In Liverpool’s final recreation in opposition to Newcastle, Arne Slott’s facet did not win for the third time in 21 video games beneath the Dutchman.
They arrived in Girona realizing that yet another win would deliver them nearer to a spot within the final 16 draw as one of many seeded groups. They consolidated prime spot within the desk when Donny van de Beek was awarded a penalty for a foul on Luis Diaz within the penalty space after VAR intervention.
No participant in Europe’s prime 5 leagues has been concerned in additional targets this season than Mohamed Salah (28 – 16 targets, 12 assists)
Salah saved his composure and slotted the penalty previous Paul Gazzaniga to maintain Liverpool excellent.
The Egypt worldwide grew to become the eleventh participant to succeed in 50 Champions League targets, surpassing Ibrahimovic and Kylian Mbappe, with Thierry Henry (51) and Thomas Muller (54) now It additionally grew to become his goal.
Having missed a penalty in opposition to Actual Madrid two weeks in the past, he acquired his likelihood within the 63rd minute, persevering with a powerful scoring streak of 11 video games previously 16 video games with out making a single mistake this time. .
The Premier League leaders have struggled thus far, with Alisson making tremendous saves to maintain out Brian Gill and Arnaut Danjuma on his return to the facet.
Twenty of Liverpool’s final 23 targets have come after the break they usually could have already got sufficient factors to safe a spot within the prime eight – relying on different ends in Sport Week Six.
Slaughter’s facet will return to European competitors in January once they host Lille at house, the place they’re mathematically assured a last-16 draw with the staff that has certified for the play-offs.
Girona, in the meantime, are dealing with the prospect of elimination after struggling their fifth defeat of their first six matches.
Why Alisson’s return is necessary
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson celebrates after victory
The outcome has allowed Slott to be included in Liverpool’s last two league fixtures. Do not underestimate the advantages of this as they attempt to battle on all fronts.
Former Southampton and Chelsea midfielder Oriol Romeu admitted Girona needed to do their finest to maintain Liverpool out of rhythm, with the house facet creating a number of probabilities to stage a shock victory.
Brazil worldwide Alisson helped the Reds hold their fifth consecutive clear sheet on this recreation, a feat they final achieved in 2005. , which precipitated him to overlook 11 video games.
Kelleher has saved 5 clear sheets in his absence, together with video games in opposition to Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis, however made his first actual mistake in opposition to Newcastle on Wednesday when he ended misjudgment allowed the hosts to attract 3-3.
For the primary time since December 2022, Salah has scored in 4 consecutive away begins for Liverpool in all competitions.
However Alisson has that further high quality. He confirmed this on multiple event throughout an evening when these in entrance of him weren’t at their finest, a lot to Danjuma’s dismay.
Girona’s last product allow them to down, however when these moments of high quality got here, Alisson stepped up and ensured nothing went mistaken for Catalonia.
“Alison undoubtedly would not appear to be he is been out for 2 months,” Slott mentioned. “I joked with the gamers that possibly they needed to see how properly ready he was as a result of they made him make so many saves. However he confirmed why I all the time say he is our No. 1.”
Darwin Nunez has scored simply as soon as in his final 10 video games, with two saves from Gazzaniga, however the Uruguay worldwide has had one other irritating efficiency, with Dominik Szoboszlai He obtained a cross from supporter Curtis Jones and headed house.
Luis Diaz forces a penalty kick within the second half
However the house facet have been undeterred and would have taken the lead however for Alisson and Daley Blind’s lack of composure in entrance of objective.
The previous Manchester United, Ajax and Bayern Munich defender, whose final objective got here 11 months in the past, began with a mismatch from Miguel Gutierrez’s cross into the six-yard space. This may be seen.
Alisson saved Alejandro Francis’ follow-up shot, deflected Gutierrez’s shot and headed proper to disclaim Arthur Asprilla’s long-range effort. When the sport restarted, Liverpool rallied to win.
Slot: Darwin wants a goal
Liverpool supervisor Arne Slott:
“I virtually really feel very sorry for Girona, they’re such a top quality staff they usually deserved extra three factors than they have thus far. That they had an excellent recreation plan at the moment however we had one Superb goalkeeper.
“I might like to see Darwin rating as a result of he wants to attain and that is why I hold him on the pitch for a very long time. He is a menace however when a striker would not rating you all the time ask Did you rating a objective?
“Girona misplaced a whole lot of high quality in the summertime, so to play like they did and trigger us, Feyenoord and PSV a lot problem says loads about them.”
Liverpool are firing on all cylinders – Opta statistics
Arne Slott wins his first six European video games as Liverpool supervisor
- Liverpool has received all six video games within the Champions League this season; within the Champions League and European Cup, solely between September 2021 and February 2022, the Pink Military has achieved an extended successful streak in all competitions (7 video games Contest).
- That is the third time Liverpool has saved 5 consecutive clear sheets within the Champions League and European Cup. The earlier situations have been from September to December 2005 and September 1983 to March 1984.
- Girona have failed to attain in 4 of their six Champions League video games this season (W1, L5), though their non-penalty anticipated targets whole of 1.02 is their third-highest whole within the Champions League this season, behind solely That is adopted by video games in opposition to Storm in Graz in November (1.67) and Feyenoord in October (1.52).
- In main European competitions, Liverpool has received 5 consecutive away video games for the third time in historical past, following Might 2022 (6 video games) and September 1984 (5 video games).
