Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was far from happy with his side's performance in the 1-0 win at Girona which extended the Champions League leaders' perfect start to six games.
Mohamed Salah's 63rd minute penalty – his 50th goal of the competition – was the difference but it was far from smooth sailing with a particularly worrying first half for Slott.
“If you ask me about all six games, I'm very happy with all the results,” he said.
No player has been involved in more goals in Europe's big five leagues this season in all competitions than Mohamed Salah (28 – 16 goals, 12 assists)
“I'm really happy with the five games, the way we played. I'm far from happy with tonight's performance.”
Slot provides guidance on the touchline at Girona
Asked what made him so unhappy, he said: “A lot. Two things in particular.
“If you play against a team that has a good idea of football and knows how to get the ball out of the back like other teams we've faced recently, like (Manchester) City or Real Madrid you have to be so intense if so. you want to make it difficult for them.
“But if you wait a few seconds every time and press, you are so easy to get out because this team can cause you problems and this is what they showed during the whole Champions League campaign , except PSV Eindhoven away. .
“I almost feel sorry for them because they deserve so much more in this campaign than the three points they have now.
“And every time we lost the ball we weren't aggressive enough, almost every time they went all the way to our goal.
“We were almost in control of the game, maybe the second half was better – I'm trying to be positive.
Goalkeeper Alisson celebrates after Liverpool's victory
The low intensity meant goalkeeper Alisson Becker would have a busier night than he expected after returning from two months out with a neck injury.
He made five saves in the first half to help extend the club's run without conceding for almost nine hours and Slot was very grateful to the Brazil international.
“We have an amazing goalkeeper. I said as a joke, maybe the players wanted to see how fit he was to give him so much work,” he said.
“He showed that he is probably one of the best – in my opinion the best – goalkeeper in the world.
“We hope he can continue to bring those performances and hopefully he can stay healthy.”
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