Liverpool are within touching distance of the last 16 of the Champions League.

A sixth straight win in the competition this season, secured by Mohamed Salah’s penalty, controversially awarded after a VAR check for a foul on Luis Diaz, cemented Arne Slot’s grip on top spot in the league stage.

This was far from Liverpool’s best performance, but Slot probably won’t be worried. Here we analyze the most important topics of discussion.

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Was that really a punishment?

The key moment of the game came just after the hour mark when former Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek was accused of fouling Diaz in the penalty area just after the hour mark.

Initially, referee Benoit Bastien had not seen fit to take action against Van de Beek, who had been standing on Diaz’s heel, removing his boot before wrapping his leg around Diaz at an awkward angle.

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It appeared to be a soft penalty, and that was all the more surprising given that Bastien had done nothing on the field, but Salah made no mistake and sent Paulo Gazzaniga the wrong way.

The decision reflected a poor game but Liverpool won’t care. With the club’s place in the round of 16 all but assured, Slot should have some scope to rotate his team in the final two games, providing a crucial respite in a busy January: if they progress in the Carabao Cup against Southampton next week , they have eight dates this month. Rotation will be key to keep players fresh and avoid injuries.

With a confident and calm manner, Liverpool have put themselves in a comfortable position.

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Nunez misses his big chance

The sight of Diogo Jota at first team training was a welcome one for everyone at Liverpool. Well, almost everyone.

The Portugal international, who has been out since early October, is expected to return to action soon and that may not be good news for Darwin Nunez.

During Jota’s absence, Nunez alternated with Diaz in the number 9, but struggled to secure a regular starting spot. The Uruguay international has shown moments of promise and improved his work rate off the ball, but he has continued to be frustrating in front of goal.

Against Girona it was another one of those nights that suggested there was a player lurking somewhere, only to leave everyone disappointed.

The conclusion was a promising counterattack in which a ball flew towards him seven meters in front of the goal. He could have steered the ball straight towards the goal or passed it on to one of his teammates, but he hit the header completely wide, narrowly grazing it and the attack failed.

There were also two one-on-one errors in the first half. Both were created with some good initial moves, but each time Nunez failed to put the finishing touch and Gazzaniga was able to parry.

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As the game progressed, Nunez’s confidence in the penalty area seemed to dwindle and he cut a dismal figure as he made way for Cody Gakpo in the 71st minute.

He will know that Jota will soon have the chance to re-establish himself as Liverpool’s first choice centre-forward.

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Alisson is back with a bang

While Alisson was hoping for a quiet return to the game after a two-month break, Girona had other ideas.

The Brazilian goalkeeper had not played since suffering a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace in early October but was fit enough for his first start in Spain and showed no signs of rust against a lively home team.

His first save came when he parried Bryan Gil, who followed up Daley Blind’s misstep from a few yards away. Two minutes later, 32-year-old Alisson was in action again to deny Gil, although the Girona attacker would likely have been offside had he scored. Alejandro Frances and Yaser Asprilla also tested Alisson in the first half.

The saves underlined why Slot considers Alisson his No.1 goalkeeper despite Caoimhin Kelleher having shown good form in his absence, although the head coach may not have been pleased to see him training so intensively.

Defensively, Liverpool were exposed by Girona’s rapid counter-attacks. They struggled to maintain a compact shape and their control was lost when they lost the ball. Girona should have scored in the first half and were also let down by poor finishing in the second half, particularly when Arnaut Danjuma went over the goal line after a foray into the penalty area. The former Bournemouth winger was also able to save a shot from Alisson at the start of the second period.

This ended at least a series of four away games in a row in which Liverpool conceded at least two goals, although their defensive weaknesses were still clearly visible. Without the injured Ibrahima Konate, work needs to be done to get back to the impressive defensive team they had away from home at the start of the season.

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What’s next for Liverpool?

Saturday December 14th: Fulham (home), Europa League, 3pm UK, 10am ET

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(Top photo: Josep Lago/AFP via Getty Images))