Jurgen Klopp issued a warning to his Liverpool players after their Premier League top-four hopes were hit by the concession of an injury-time equaliser against Newcastle United, declaring: "We learn, or we don't play Champions League."
The Reds headed into stoppage time having found the back of the net with just one of their 22 shots on the visitors' goal across a one-sided game at Anfield - Mohamed Salah's well-taken third-minute strike.
The hosts were given a huge let-off by VAR in the 92nd minute when a Callum Wilson equaliser was - somewhat harshly but correctly - ruled out for handball after he had bundled home from close range.
But Klopp's men failed to heed that warning, and surrendered two points with almost the final kick of the game as Joe Willock powered the ball home after finding space.
Reflecting on the performance, Liverpool's manager told BT Sport: "I don't think you can create much more chances, better chances than we did and not finish the game.
"Obviously we scored a wonderful goal, didn't finish the game off, and didn't play enough. With a few passes, we came always through, you just have to do it again and again.
"That they have from time to time a counterattack, that can happen, you just have to keep playing and keep the ball and let them run.
"We kept them alive and in the end they deserve the goal because they scored two minutes before another one which is - with the new rules - unlucky handball.
"Then we don't even take this present! It didn't happen a lot that we were lucky with VAR this season but we were and then we give another chance away, it makes no sense. It's really tough to take."
Klopp went on to suggest that his players were guilty of letting their heads drop too easily after missing chances to add to their lead.
He also lamented a failure to keep possession away from Newcastle in the final moments of the game.
He continued: "Why it happened, I don't know. How it looked, I saw. We just have to keep the ball.
"In the specific way, we don't fight enough. When we make a mistake, we fight and try to get it back and stuff like this, but [you need] to keep yourself in a position to dominate the game which was possible.
"We had 70% of the ball and we should have 80. There are still moments when Newcastle, they are not bothered about that and they have a counterattack in these moments and you have a goalie and you have to defend it, that's all fine.
"We created a lot of chances, didn't score with them, we have to create more and use them. In our situation, when you score with the first but not with the second or the third it has this kind of impact that you see that it drops there a little bit, here a little bit.
"Instead of just going and who cares? Missed chances are just information, nothing else. But we don't do that well in the moment, I have to say, that's why I say in the end it's deserved.
"People can look at the stats and think how can that happen? But it happened, we saw it, they fought for it and got it and we got nothing pretty much. Well, a point, but it feels like a defeat."
Liverpool would have moved up into the fourth and final Champions League spot with victory over Newcastle, but now sit in sixth ahead of many of their rivals playing.
On the prospect of qualifying for Europe's top competition, the German added: "If you deserve it, you deserve it. I didn't see today that we deserve to play Champions League next year.
"We have another five games, we will see what we can do until then, we have a few days until we play Manchester United so it will be a tough one again. But we learn, or we don't play Champions League."
Football rumours: Five clubs in the race to sign Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise
What the papers say
Five clubs are in the race to sign Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise, Football Insider reports, with Arsenal and Manchester United joining Manchester City, Juventus and Chelsea. The 22-year-old has scored seven goals in 14 games for Palace this season.
The Sun says Barcelona have joined Arsenal in the fight for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak with the Spanish club hoping to strike a deal with the Magpies for a player reported to be valued at around £90million. The 24-year-old Sweden international has scored 17 goals in 24 Premier League games for Newcastle this season.
Meanwhile, the credentials of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag will be assessed by new technical director Jason Wilcox as the club decides on the Dutchman’s future, according to the Telegraph, while the same outlet says former Wolvers manager Julen Lopetegui is a contender to replace David Moyes at West Ham.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Viktor Gyokeres: The 25-year-old Sporting Lisbon striker is Arsenal’s top target as the Gunners prepare to make several signings this summer, Football Transfers reports.
Wilfred Ndidi: Crystal Palace are interested in the Leicester midfielder who is available for a free transfer this summer, according to Talksport.
Inter Milan beat rivals AC Milan to secure 20th Serie A title
Inter Milan claimed their second Serie A title in four seasons after beating AC Milan 2-1 at San Siro.
Goals from Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram gave Inter the three points they required to be crowned champions, although they had to endure a nervous final 10 minutes after Fikayo Tomori pulled a goal back for the home team.
Inter wrapped up the title with five games to spare, standing 17 points clear of their city rivals, who needed a win or draw to delay celebrations.
But they were on the back foot after Acerbi’s 18th-minute header opened the scoring, before Thuram’s shot early in the second half put Inter well on the way to securing a 20th league crown.
Tomori’s effort set up a tense finish, though, in an ill-tempered clash, and there were red cards for Inter’s Denzel Dumfries and two AC Milan players – Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria – during stoppage time.
Bologna, meanwhile, stayed firmly on course for Champions League qualification by beating Roma 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Bologna moved just two points behind third-placed Juventus – and seven clear of Roma in fifth – following a dominant display.
Oussama El Azzouzi opened the scoring after 14 minutes, and Joshua Zirkzee doubled the lead with a left-footed shot on the stroke of half-time.
Roma gave themselves a lifeline when Sardar Azmoun netted after the break, but Bologna kept the upper hand and sealed all three points through Alexis Saelemaekers’ goal midway through the second period.
And in Spain’s LaLiga, second-half goals from Youssef En-Nesyri and Isaac Romero delivered a 2-1 home victory for Sevilla over Mallorca, with Abdon Prats claiming a late consolation for the visitors.
Leeds edge out Middlesbrough and climb to second in the Championship
Crysencio Summerville’s brace boosted Leeds’ hopes of automatic promotion as they edged to a 4-3 victory against Middlesbrough in a thrilling Sky Bet Championship clash.
A relentless opening saw five goals scored in the first half alone, starting with Boro going in front through Isaiah Jones just seven minutes in, but the visitors soon got their foot back in the game with goals from Summerville and Patrick Bamford in the space of 11 minutes.
An enthralling end-to-end encounter saw Emmanuel Latte Lath level on the 30 minute mark but Wilfried Gnonto restored Leeds’ advantage from a ruthless attack.
Summerville extended the advantage in the second half before Latte Lath’s header threatened a late comeback. However, Leeds held on for a victory which means they leapfrog Ipswich into second place, albeit having played a game more than the Suffolk club.
Middlesbrough took the lead in the seventh minute when Luke Thomas won the ball on the left flank and played in Finn Azaz, who flicked a quick pass to an onrushing Latte Lath.
Illan Meslier came out to block the ball, which bounced underneath him and into the path of Jones, who raced past defender Junior Firpo and stabbed the ball into an empty net.
Leeds composed themselves and equalised just seven minutes later when Anfernee Dijksteel clipped Georginio Rutter’s ankles in the area and Summerville stepped up to fire the subsequent spot-kick into the bottom left corner.
The visitors took the lead in the 18th minute when former Boro striker Bamford came back to haunt the Riverside, bundling in Firpo’s cross with his thigh past goalkeeper Seny Dieng.
After threatening from some corners, Boro got an equaliser on the half-hour mark when Leeds were dispossessed from a throw-in in their own half. Azaz found an unmarked Latte Lath on the edge of the box and Meslier could only palm the forward’s powerful strike into the net.
Leeds regained their lead nine minutes later with a well-worked attack through the middle involving Archie Gray, with Summerville threading the ball into Gnonto, who smashed it past Dieng.
The visitors nearly had another just minutes later in a similar style, but Bamford’s effort was pawed away by Dieng and Sammy Silvera smashed a shot over the bar just before the break.
The hosts patiently passed around the pitch in a quieter start to the second half and Lewis O’Brien and Dijksteel tested Meslier with some dangerous crosses.
However, Leeds dealt the next blow from another devastating break in the 61st minute when Firpo played through to Summerville in acres of space on the left and the forward scored his second of the evening with a curling shot across goal.
The game still had another twist when Latte Lath set up a manic finale after looping a header over Meslier from a pinpoint cross in the 87th minute.
The visitors were forced into some frenetic defending and Meslier made a low dive to deny Jonny Howson’s effort in stoppage-time to wrap up victory.
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