Mohamed Salah was once again the difference as Liverpool maintained their perfect European record, but it was the man at the other end of the pitch who stole the show.
Girona 0-1 Liverpool
Champions League (6) | Estadi Montilivi
December 10, 2024
Goals: Salah (pen) 63′
Alisson – 9 (out of 10) – (Man of the Match)
Returned to the action from the cold to keep out two Bryan Gil efforts from close range during what was a surprisingly busy start for the Brazilian.
It was a good opportunity to dust off the cobwebs after watching his deputy – Caoimhin Kelleher – cope admirably in his absence and Girona’s lively showing was in many ways ideal preparation for what is to come.
His stretched save from Asprilla’s long-range try was perhaps the pick of the bunch, but the ease with which he dealt with everything thrown at him on what he would have hoped to have been a quieter night was very encouraging.
There is a reason he is the best in the business.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 7
As always, the vice-skipper was at the heart of everything Liverpool tried to do creatively and was unfortunate not to have notched a couple of assists early on.
He was kept honest by Girona’s bright forwards and saw plenty of the ball when facing the other way on a night that saw him pump some more much-needed minutes into his legs.
Nearly sealed the deal late on with a trademark free-kick that might just have bumped his rating up!
Joe Gomez – 7
Was denied his first professional goal from a corner in the opening minutes by a decent Paulo Gazzaniga stop, presumably because he’s still saving himself for the goal that seals the title later this season.
Arnaut Danjuma got the better of him on a few occasions and was a nuisance throughout, but Gomez grew into the contest as it wore on despite the persistent threat.
Virgil van Dijk – 7
Had his hands full at times during a first half in which the hosts made it abundantly clear they weren’t here to simply make up the numbers.
The skipper was perhaps guilty of not clearing his lines swiftly enough on a couple of occasions during Girona’s better spells, but it was an otherwise assured performance from the big man as usual.
Andy Robertson – 8
Linked up well with Luis Diaz throughout the opening exchanges and had a couple of opportunities of his own to open the scoring either side of the interval.
The spotlight has been on the Scotland captain of late, but it is worth noting that he missed the chance to get a pre-season with the new boss and has worked his way back from sticky patches in the past.
He dealt with the threat of the live wire that was Gil adeptly throughout and will be keep to build on his performance over the coming weeks.
Ryan Gravenberch – 8
Having struggled for arguably the first time in the campaign at Newcastle, Gravenberch was back to his imperious best at Estadi Montilivi.
It is imperative that the manager finds a way to look after the Dutchman through the festive period and there remains a strong case to bolster the base of the midfield in January.
Curtis Jones – 6
Had a relatively quiet first half and struggled at points to put his usual stamp on proceedings, but certainly looked more comfortable as the second half played out.
He could have perhaps been a touch braver and less pragmatic at certain intervals, but it was a solid run-out nonetheless.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7
A relatively stress-free night for the Hungarian, who once again demonstrated the depth of his engine as he looked to make things happen – particularly in the late stages.
You feel he could use a mini-streak of goals to really up his confidence and click into gear, but the signs have certainly been positive enough in recent weeks.
Mohamed Salah – 8
Picked the wrong ball on a couple of occasions in the final third, but was otherwise his usual menacing self for much of the contest.
His penalty moves him to within one goal of Billy Liddell as he continues his relentless ascent up the club’s all-time goalscoring chart, we might never see another like him again.
It was a quiet night in large parts, but he is so often the difference even when that is the case.
Darwin Nunez – 5
Worked himself into a good position to test Gazzaniga inside the first 10 minutes and should have put the Reds in front shortly before the break.
There has been justifiable praise for his off-the-ball work at times in recent months, but patience is wearing thin with regard to his output among even the most lenient sections of the fanbase.
There was no keeping him out of the action, but that only intensifies the need to be more ruthless when spearheading the attack of a title-chasing side.
Luis Diaz – 8
The Colombian’s infectious energy was on display once again as he worked tirelessly in both directions and constantly offered his services as an option on the ball.
Picked up a nonsense booking early into the second half for a supposed foul, but his all-round play was often a joy to watch and one would suspect Alejandro Frances is in no hurry to encounter Liverpool’s No. 7 again.
He was rewarded for his hard work on the hour mark when he won the penalty that Salah duly converted to put the Reds in front.
A good night’s work, he’ll sleep well!
Substitutes
Cody Gakpo (on for Nunez, 71′) – 6 – Looked his usual lively self and put in a solid defensive shift when it was required late on.
Harvey Elliott (on for Jones, 76′) – 6 – Had some neat and tidy touches as he continued his return back into the regular fold. Important steps made but more to come
Wataru Endo (on for Diaz, 88′) – N/A – Came on to add some defensive steel late on. Will be hoping for a start against Southampton next week.
Subs not used: Kelleher, Jaros, Quansah, Norris, McConnell
Arne Slot – 8
No matter which way he chose to go, Arne Slot‘s team selection was almost certain to be a topic of conversation heading into this one.
There were understandable calls for rotation given the strength of Liverpool’s hand in the league phase, but you sense the postponement of the Merseyside derby empowered him to focus on putting automatic qualification beyond doubt.
The Reds faced more pressure than he would have liked during the first 45 minutes, but he took the opportunity to re-establish momentum among his main boys before a return to league action this weekend.
It wasn’t always pretty, but Slot continued his theme of making the right subs at the right time and the Reds saw the job out professionally in the end.
Girona 0-1 Liverpool
