Liverpool maintained their perfect record in the Champions League this season by beating Girona 1-0 away from home on Tuesday evening.
Mohamed Salah's 63rd-minute penalty at Estadi Montilivi made it six victories from six in the league phase for Arne Slot's side, who top the standings.
Already guaranteed a spot in the knockout rounds, the win puts the Reds on the brink of a definite top-eight finish, which would see them progress straight to the last 16 and bypass the play-offs.
Team news
Alisson Becker made his return from a two-month injury absence as one of four changes to Liverpool's line-up.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai were also handed starting berths by Slot.
First half
It was end-to-end throughout the opening 45 and both sides would have been disappointed not to have anything to show for it, having created a number of promising opportunities.
Paulo Gazzaniga stopped Joe Gomez from scoring his first Liverpool goal after four minutes by clawing away the defender's header from an Andy Robertson corner. The Girona goalkeeper then denied Darwin Nunez a few moments later.
The hosts nearly made the most of their first foray, though Alisson was there to prevent Alejandro Frances sweeping home a low cross by Miguel Gutierrez. That attack promoted a counter led by Salah, who was unable to guide a finish on target at the end of it.
With no sign of the game settling down, Bryan Gil exploited the space in behind the Reds' backline and found himself through on goal. However, an unfortunate slip left him unable to strike cleanly and it was easy for Alisson to save his poke.
It was a busy start to Alisson's comeback as he was called upon twice more before the end of the half.
After pushing away another hit from Gutierrez, the Brazilian was at full stretch to divert Yaser Asprilla's well-struck effort behind for a corner – perhaps the pick of his bunch.
Meanwhile, Nunez had tested Gazzaniga again after being slipped in by a Salah pass in another opening worked by the visitors.
Second half
Arnaut Danjuma continued to look lively leading Girona's line, threatening Alisson's goal on two occasions early on.
But Liverpool began to assert some control and that dominance was rewarded with the awarding of a spot-kick, thanks to an intervention from VAR.
The officials went back through the footage and found Donny van de Beek had unfairly brought down Diaz inside the box, allowing Salah the chance to stroke a dead-ball effort past Gazzaniga and end the deadlock.
The Reds did well to keep their opponents at arm's length when they desperately searched for an equaliser.
In fact, Alexander-Arnold nearly made it 2-0 with a curling free-kick that was tipped behind by Gazzaniga.
But ultimately Salah's composure around the hour mark was enough to clinch the points.
