Jurgen Klopp suggested Tottenham Hotspur should have offered more with their "world-class" ability after a counter-attacking approach saw them leave Liverpool with a point.
Antonio Conte's side were content to sit deep throughout the 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday evening, playing a five-man defence and a strategy that was designed to catch the Reds on the break.
Conte's tactics appeared to be working when Son Heung-min scored his 20th of the season after a breakaway involving Harry Kane and Ryan Sessegnon in the second half, but the Reds struck back when Luis Diaz's effort deflected past Hugo Lloris.
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The Champions League finalists were unable to force a late winner against a well-drilled Spurs side, however, and Klopp was critical of their game-plan, saying they could be offering more the match as a spectacle given their quality.
"I am sorry, I am the wrong person to ask about [Spurs' defending] because I don’t like this kind of football," Klopp said. "But that is my personal problem. I think they are world class and I think they should do more for the game.
"It's a game against Liverpool and they have 36% possession. But that is my problem. I cannot coach it. So that is why I cannot do it. World-class players, [who] block all the balls. It is really difficult. Fine, whatever, it's just I can't. But yes I respect everything they do. But it's not me."
Klopp added: “It was the expected game. It was always clear that Tottenham would show up like they show up, with all the individual quality they have and the game-plan they have, it was clear it would be incredibly difficult.
“It doesn't get easier when you concede a goal. I was really happy with a lot of things in the game, to be honest. First 25 minutes, wow, crazy start, really good, put them under pressure, the direction and speed of the passing was really good, we didn’t score then it was always clear one mistake and they are there.
"But this next 20 minutes we said at half-time we could have showed more initiative in moments, a little dribbling here, getting closer to their formation to keep them busy, we passed a bit too early.
“Second half, we caused more problems, immediately started high energy and then we conceded a goal, and then anything can happen in a situation like this. After the weeks we’ve had with I am not sure how many more games we have than Tottenham, anything can happen.
"But the stadium was there, the boys kept their calm, increased the pressure without opening up too much to score the goal.
“All these little moments you may not remember, Henderson's square ball was great, but we didn't anticipate it, Lloris didn't have to make a save. Diagonal ball, Kostas Tsimikas mishits a header.
"The biggest one is possibly the quality of Thiago when he chips the ball in the second post when Trent (Alexander-Arnold) is completely open and misses him by two yards.
“These moments hurt them because they fly with everything they have, they block. We know we all think the game-plan of Tottenham worked perfectly, we have to accept we have a different game-plan.
"That is why it is really difficult to play them. For them, when they face a team with more possession than them it works out pretty well, but they don’t have these opponents all the time."
The draw takes Liverpool top of the table on goal difference but Manchester City can go three clear with victory at home to Newcastle on Sunday.
