Rafael Benitez bemoaned his side's inability to break down Manchester City as the two played out a goalless draw.
In stressing his point he highlighted an incident late in the game when substitute Yossi Benayoun was touched by defender Victor Kompany inside the penalty area but continued his run and did not go to ground.
However, the Reds boss must have been one of the few people in the ground who felt his side could have been awarded a spot-kick for an innocuous challenge which went unnoticed by the majority.
"It was a difficult game. We didn't have clear chances, they didn't have clear chances, but we had more possession and but for the pass in the final third it could have been different," said the Spaniard.
"I felt both teams were defending well and were well organised but the incident with Yossi could also have been different.
"Yossi felt he could have had a penalty. He was trying to continue, you cannot blame the player.
"He was trying to go forward, to score. But we can be talking this for a while, you can say too much."
In truth Liverpool did not create a clear-cut chance to warrant a victory which would have lifted them back up to fourth but at least it ensured they did not lose further ground on one of their main rivals for Champions League qualification.
"I don't think the result is good for anyone. We both wanted to win and I have to think about the positives," said Benitez.
"We were strong, we did well and we have two players coming back - that is all you can say after the game."
Those two players coming back were Benayoun and striker Fernando Torres, both of whom have been out for five weeks, with rib and knee injuries respectively.
Neither really looked like changing the outcome of the result but Benitez was pleased to have them back, especially Torres whom he did not think would be in contention just over a month since a knee operation.
"He (Torres) trained on Friday and he was really good. Early in the morning we thought 'no chance' but watching him in the session he was trying and going to the floor so we thought 'okay, maybe he can'," added the Liverpool manager.
"But we also had a problem as David Ngog (ankle) was injured and we couldn't play him so we had to bring Torres with us and because he was so bright in training we thought maybe he was worth 15 to 20 minutes."
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admitted he does not know when Carlos Tevez will return from compassionate leave having spoken to the striker three days ago.
The Argentina international has been in his homeland for over a week after his wife gave birth prematurely.
With Tevez's wife Vanesa now out of hospital, although the baby is still in intensive care, Mancini wants the 26-year-old back in England.
However, there is no indication yet as to when the 19-goal striker is due to return - which is a concern for Mancini with an FA Cup replay against Stoke and a trip to Barclays Premier League leaders Chelsea in the coming days.
"I don't know where Tevez is - I think in Argentina," said Mancini after the goalless draw at home to Liverpool.
"It's a big problem for us because we have an important week and we don't have Tevez. For me it is no good.
"Carlos has been eight days at home and I don't know if while in Argentina he has been working.
"I hope Carlos, within the next two days, can come back here because we need him. Maybe he is on the plane.
"I spoke to him three days ago. He had some problems with his family but now it has been resolved and I hope he comes back.
"I think he will come back in two days. I need him."
That all the post-match talk was about Tevez was an indication of how disappointing the encounter between two sides, fourth and fifth at the start of the day, actually was.
Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina made the one genuine save - from Emmanuel Adebayor early in the second half - of the entire 90 minutes as both teams cancelled each other out.
"Against Liverpool it is not easy to win the game - we tried but Liverpool are a good team," said Mancini.
"At the end of the game the draw was the right result as we didn't concede any chances to Liverpool and they did not concede any chances to us.
"We played against a top squad and we played very well, as a team, which is important."
In the first half City were undeniably defensive but Mancini said they had not set out for a draw from the beginning.
"If you want to win first you must not concede a goal," added the Italian.
"But I have a big problem at the moment as I only have Adebayor in attack as Craig Bellamy worked with the team only the last two days, Tevez is in Argentina, Roque (Santa Cruz) has a problem with his knee."
Fans jeered at the final whistle, as they did in the FA Cup tie against Stoke, but Mancini was not worried by that.
"Today's game was difficult for us because Liverpool are maybe a second or third-placed team," he added.
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