Jurgen Klopp felt Liverpool were unfortunate to be denied a last-gasp equaliser against Toulouse, but admitted he was more concerned with the level of performance from his side than any decisions from the officials.
The Reds suffered their European defeat of the season in France, as Toulouse just about held on for an eventful 3-2 victory to ensure Liverpool are made to wait to secure qualification through to the Europa League knockout stages.
Klopp's side were two goals down after Aron Donnum and Thijs Dallinga put Toulouse in front, before Liverpool pulled one back through a Cristian Casseres own goal. Frank Magri almost immediately restored the two-goal advantage, though Diogo Jota gave the visitors hope as he pulled one back heading into seven minutes of stoppage-time.
Jarell Quansah stretched to turn the ball home in the closing seconds of those minutes, seemingly earning Liverpool a point with the final kick, but the referee was told by VAR to consult the pitchside monitor, having already pointed to the centre circle to award the goal.
He returned to chalk off Quansah's goal, with it deemed that there was a handball from Alexis Mac Allister. Klopp suggested that was a harsh decision, and that VAR went back too far in the build-up, but he was also keen to point the finger at his players.
"I saw the video back and for me it's not a handball," Klopp said.
"But how can I decide that? The ball goes to the chest and I don't see a contact with the arm to be honest - maybe they have a different picture than I had. It's pretty long ago before we score the goal. That's interesting.
"But I'm a bit more concerned that I would have loved us to play better. That's my main issue tonight, in a football way a lot more aggressive."
Liverpool would have secured top spot in Group E with two matches to spare had they beaten Toulouse, but will now expect to get the job done when LASK visit Anfield later this month.
The defeat in France, only the second time Liverpool have been beaten in any competition this season, came off the back of a frustrating draw to Luton as the Reds' form has stumbled somewhat.
"Well deserved to lose, because they won pretty much all the decisive challenges, battles," Klopp said.
He added: "I would have loved to get the point, because the performance wouldn't have been better but we'd have got a point.
"But I would have said exactly the same. We just have to be better in these moments, 100%."
