Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has demanded more from his team after their 1-0 Champions League win, saying he was “far from satisfied” with their performance.

Liverpool appeared far from their best at the Estadi Montilivi but secured victory thanks to a second-half penalty from Mohamed Salah after Donny van de Beek was said to have fouled Luis Díaz in the box.

The win means Liverpool continue their perfect record in Europe, having won all six Champions League games this season. However, Slot insisted that performances need to improve if his team has any ambition to be at the top of the competition.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, the Liverpool manager said: “If you ask me after all six games, I’m really happy with all the results and performances in the five games.”

“I am anything but satisfied with the performance tonight. Two things in particular. When you play against a team that has such a good idea of ​​football and knows how to get the ball out, like the teams we played against recently with Real Madrid and Manchester City, you have to be so intense.

“But if you wait to apply pressure and get outplayed so easily, this team can give you problems. They showed that throughout the Champions League, except (against) PSV.”

“I feel sorry for them because they deserved more than three points. We have an incredible goalkeeper. When we lost the ball we weren’t aggressive enough. Hardly any control over the whole game. Maybe the second half was a little better.”

A big positive for Liverpool was the return of Alisson to the starting XI, as the goalkeeper had been sidelined since October 5 with a thigh injury. The Brazilian made a series of saves to deny Liverpool’s fifth goal in Europe this season and Slot was quick to label him “the best goalkeeper in the world” after the game.

“He definitely didn’t look like he was gone,” Slot said. “I jokingly said that the players wanted to test his fitness today (and give up chances in the process).

“Today he showed what I have said so many times, that he is our first goalkeeper. This has nothing to do with Caoimhin (Kelleher), who has performed well, but (Alisson) showed today that I think he is one of the best goalkeepers. “Let’s hope he can keep up these performances and stay fit. “

Slot also defended striker Darwin Núñez, who missed numerous chances against Girona and scored just three goals in 19 appearances for Liverpool this season.

Asked if the Uruguayan lacked confidence, Slot said: “I agree that he missed a few chances; then it is questionable whether he lacks self-confidence.”

“I think every striker has a moment where everything is going in and then a phase where they try so hard and don’t score. But the good thing is that we have a lot of players who can score. He was a threat, but unfortunately he couldn’t score.”

Regardless of the results of the rest of the day, Liverpool are guaranteed to finish the sixth of eight league rounds in first place with 18 points.

The final two rounds will take place in early 2025.

ESPN’s Sam Marsden contributed to this story.