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Liverpool needed a second-half penalty from Mo Salah to overcome a difficult night in Spain and maintain their 100% record in the Champions League.
Salah scored his 16th goal of the season when Luis Díaz was fouled in the box and the only shot was enough to beat Girona.
Liverpool have won six out of six and opened a five-point gap at the top of the table heading into the final matches of the night.
Salah has scored in four consecutive away games for Liverpool and once again proved to be the difference.
Victory means one point from their final two games will be enough for Liverpool to secure a top-eight finish.
Victory in MD6 ✊🟢 #UCL pic.twitter.com/xb9fNz3HH3
-Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 10, 2024
Alisson returns in style
Defender Joe Gómez was denied his first goal for Liverpool by Paulo Gazzaniga after a close-range header, and the goalkeeper also saved a shot from Darwin Núñez minutes later.
Girona, with every player behind the ball, were happy to break on the counterattack and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, playing for the first time since early October after a hamstring injury, was soon called into action .
Daley Blind completely missed a cross on the edge of the six-yard box, but the ball fell to Alejandro Francés and Alisson held his effort on the second attempt, then deflected a shot from Miguel Gutiérrez.
Núñez had another shot saved by a pass from Salah and Girona responded with a shot from outside the area by Yaser Asprilla that Alisson deflected for a corner, with Girona gaining confidence.
Alisson was involved again in the opening seconds of the second half, saving from Arnaut Danjuma and Liverpool struggled to break down a stubborn Girona defense before Donny van de Beek’s foul on Diaz gave Salah his chance from the spot.
Salah missed a penalty in Liverpool’s last Champions League match against Real Madrid, but this time he made no mistake sending the goalkeeper the wrong direction and the ball into the bottom corner.
Girona never seemed to find an equalizer with Liverpool, maintaining possession much better than in the first half and leaving the Estadi Montilivi with the three points.
