Moments you may not have spotted during Liverpool's Champions League game against Girona on Tuesday
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot gestures to Darwin Nunez during the UEFA Champions League match at Girona on December 10 2024
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot gestures to Darwin Nunez during the UEFA Champions League match at Girona on December 10 2024
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool maintained their impressive start to the Champions League campaign with a hard-earned victory at Girona on Tuesday evening. Mohamed Salah scored the only goal from the penalty spot midway through the second half after a VAR check for a foul by Donny van de Beek on Luis Diaz.
The result means Arne Slot's side remain top of the Champions League table with only an unlikely series of results preventing them from having booked their place in the last 16 with two games to spare.
But there was plenty that went unnoticed or under the radar during the 90 minutes at the Estadio Montilivi...
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Nunez told
It was one of those evenings for Darwin Nunez, who missed two first-half chances and began to disappear from view completely during the second half.
During a spell after the break, Nunez dropped deep in an attempt to become involved, prompting Slot to point at the Uruguayan and then to the penalty area as if to tell the striker to get back up front.
Nunez, though, wasn't the only player to be given a rebuke from the Liverpool boss, who spent much of the game animated on the touchline in frustration at what he later regarded a performance not up to scratch from his team.
Robbo rejoiced
Alisson Becker may have made a host of good saves. But there were few grumbles at the official UEFA player of the match award going to Andy Robertson.
Well, certainly not within the Liverpool camp if the reaction of Cody Gakpo and Curtis Jones was any barometer, the latter grabbing the left-back in a brief bearhug before both offered congratulations.
And as a beaming Robertson walked away there was applause and a pat on the back from Virgil van Dijk. Which was nice.
Unusual for Alisson
Alisson, of course, was making his comeback from more than nine weeks out through injury. And Liverpool were taking no chances with the fitness of the goalkeeper.
After the final whistle, the Brazilian could be spotted on the touchline undergoing a rather unusual warmdown, which at one point involved him sitting down and then dangling his feet in the air.
Given his outstanding performance on his return, whatever keeps Alisson's hamstrings in peak condition should be applauded. No matter how odd it looks.
Danjuma doesn't
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It was all opening up for Arnaut Danjuma. Having held off Dominik Szoboszlai and put the ball through the legs of Joe Gomez, he progressing into the area. The home crowd watched expectantly.
But the moment Van Dijk homed into view, the former Everton loanee was spooked into hastily firing a shot that almost cleared the stand. The Girona fans were not impressed.
Meanwhile, the stadium announcer in Girona was determined to have a party whatever the outcome given the amount of banging dance tunes they were dropping. Clearly, the visit of Liverpool remains a big deal.