Jurgen Klopp has questioned why defender Gabriel escaped the same punishment as Ibrahima Konate during his side’s 3-1 defeat away to Arsenal.
Konate was shown a red card moments before injury time for two bookable offences, the first of which came before the interval for holding Kai Havertz near the centre circle.
His fate was sealed when he blocked Leandro Trossard from making a run with two minutes of normal time remaining, but the Liverpool boss noted that he felt consistency hadn’t been applied.
Speaking after the game, Klopp referenced Gabriel as being fortunate not to have had his afternoon cut short for a similar challenge on Darwin Nunez.
“A lot of things were against us today, come on,” the manager told Sky Sports in his post-match interview.
“Gabriel is doing the same with Nunez, no yellow card?!”
Jurgen Klopp says a lot of things went against Liverpool today ? pic.twitter.com/PjLQrwY2I2
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“This referee gave me a red card for a wrestling situation, Bernardo Silva, Mo Salah.
“Today, same situation with Diogo Jota. That I didn’t get a red card shows I’m matured, it’s just unbelievable!
“Then, holding Havertz on Konate first, and then Ibou is there with an arm as well. Havertz goes down, yellow card.
“Then he had to give him a second yellow. Gabriel is doing the same with Nunez, no yellow card!
“We should have played better, but everything went in these moments against us. That’s just decisive for a game like this.
“We lost the game, that’s fact. The way? Strange. Could we have played better? Yes. Will we have to play better? Oh yes definitely and we will, I am not in doubt about that.
“For now, we have to congratulate Arsenal. Well done, well deserved, and we keep going.”
The Reds performed significantly below the levels they have reached in recent weeks, but remain on top of the pile as things stand.
Man City have an opportunity to close their five-point gap on Monday evening at Brentford, while Arsenal now sit just two points off top spot.
Klopp’s frustration with referee, Anthony Taylor, was palpable, but the boss also acknowledged that the performance fell well below the standard required.
Things will have to improve in six days time, with Burnley the next visitors to Anfield as Liverpool look to bounce back from only their second league defeat since April.
