Jurgen Klopp expressed his anger at Brentford's second goal in Liverpool's 3-1 defeat as he praised the hosts for "stretching the rules" on the night.
Brentford were deserved winners at the Gtech Stadium as goals from Ben Mee, Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbuemo condemned the visitors to defeat, despite Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's second-half header.
The Reds suffered their fifth defeat of the season on Monday night as Thomas Frank's men added Klopp's team to their list of high-profile scalps that also includes Manchester City and United this term.
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Klopp said he was particularly frustrated by Brentford's second on the night, which came just moments after Wissa had earlier seen a goal ruled out for offside.
Liverpool gave the ball away immediately from the restart in midfield before Wissa headed home at the back post, something Klopp admits he was furious with from his team's perspective.
"The second goal decided it," said Klopp. "The third goal should not have been allowed and we should have played better. With these set-pieces, Brentford has the chance to create chaos, and that’s what they do. They do it really well and I respect it a lot. It’s really good and well organised.
"But we had a lot of chances in not a top, top, top-class game. We know we have to improve that, and the second goal is a present for Brentford. That’s the one I’m really angry about. It doesn’t feel great. Your colleague asked me how much below we are [compared] to last year, the 3-3 game.
"When I compare the two games I thought we had more chances tonight than last year. That’s OK, but the rest was the same wild and chaotic game as last time. We took the fight, it’s not that we didn’t try at all, but we are responsible for the defeat.
"The way they play is clear, and the defending around the second goal didn’t surprise me, it’s just not right. They chip the ball down, we have two players but let him still cross the ball, and then they have two players in the far post area which we knew before the game. That’s why this goal is the one we should have defended better.
"You cannot defend long balls all the time. They were super-direct. That limits them in some aspects, but in this kind of game they are able to create chaos and they organised that extremely well.
"They have all my respect, but you cannot defend that all the time. You have to fight as well and you have to use your own chances. It would have been no surprise if the game was 2-2 after 55 mins, and from there I’d have loved to see it. But when the third goal goes in, you could see after very intense games we had, it didn’t look like the belief was there any more."
Klopp added: "Not only [is Thomas Frank] a great coach but a nice guy as well. That doesn’t mean we will always agree on things that happen on the sideline, but I respect the work he does a lot.
"When I say they stretch the rules in offensive set-pieces, and they do, don’t get me wrong. They are smart, but they do. If you singled out every situation you would find five fouls. But because it’s so chaotic, nobody sees it. That’s what they do, and it’s really good.
"They react to different things. They play like this against us, but against other teams they play football and it’s fantastic. He’s doing a fantastic job and they should be really happy he’s signed until 2037 or whenever! Long time! Great club, great atmosphere, everything is good apart from the result."
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