Online Reporter
ARNE SLOT was furious with his Liverpool players — despite them continuing their perfect Champions League record.
Mo Salah’s second half penalty against Girona made it six wins from six for the Reds and means they look certain to finish the top eight and avoid a play-off round in February.
But Liverpool’s Slot, who welcomed back keeper Alisson from injury, slammed his team for not being “aggressive” enough in Spain.
He said: “I’m really pleased with the first five games, but I’m far from pleased about this performance. Especially two things.
“If you play against a team that has such a good idea about football and knows how to bring the ball out from the back like some of the teams we’ve played recently, like City or Real Madrid, you need to be so intense if you want to make it difficult for them.
“But we were so easily outplayed and then this team can cause you a lot of problems. They showed this in their games, in all of the Champions League this season, except PSV Eindhoven.
“I almost feel sorry for them as they deserve so much more points than the three points they have.
“The other part is every time we lost the ball, we were not aggressive enough so every time we lost the ball, they could go almost all the way to our goal and have a shot. We had hardly any control at all over the game. Maybe the second half was a bit better – I’m trying to be positive.”
Brazilian keeper Alisson had been sidelined for over two months with a hamstring injury but made five key saves before Salah struck from the spot after VAR flagged up a foul by Donny van de Beek on Luis Diaz.
Slot joked: “We have to thank Alisson that we kept a clean sheet.
“Maybe his team-mates wanted to make sure if he was really fit, to give him a little work.
“Of course that was not the idea but he showed today why he is so important for us. I said so many times that he is our first goalkeeper.
“That has nothing to do with Caoimhin Kellher, as he did so well, but Alisson has been so important for this club for so many years and showed why he is one of the best or in my opinion, the best in the world.
“Let’s hope he can keep on putting these performances in and even more that he can stay fit.”
Kelleher, who has made it known he wants to leave Merseyside, was forced to sit on the bench here in northern Spain despite helping his team storm to the top of the table.
Despite Kelleher’s fine displays — his only blip was against Newcastle six days earlier — Alisson was always going to be parachuted back into the team.
And he now finds himself back in a team who have still lost only once all season.
Four points clear in the Premier League and now looking certain to finish in the top eight of the Champions League.
This means they will miss the two-legged play-offs in February.
Crucially, the second leg of the games will be played before Liverpool’s scheduled Premier League trip to face Manchester City on February 23.
While Slot’s team will be able to put their feet up in that week, City — potentially — have a play-off match. — Sun.
