Jurgen Klopp departed Wearside a frustrated man, describing himself as a “loser” even though Liverpool drew 2-2 at Sunderland. That was how gutted the title challengers felt after twice conceding a lead to David Moyes’s relegation-threatened side.

Liverpool had hoped a fifth consecutive Premier League victory would haul them to within three points of Chelsea – who play at Tottenham on Wednesday – but two Jermain Defoe penalty-kicks scuppered that ambition.

“In this moment it is hard for me to accept but I have to be professional,” Klopp said. “Obviously it [the title race] is not finally done.

“Maybe I look like not the best loser in the world. I have no problem with it, that’s it. Today two penalties against us feels not good. Usually I like to talk about football. It is difficult today.”

Klopp walked onto the pitch at the Stadium of Light at the end to give referee Anthony Taylor his opinion, particularly of the free-kick awarded to Sunderland which led to the 84th minute equaliser.

“If you see it again, there was no contact,” Klopp added of the alleged foul on Defoe by substitute Lucas Leiva. “I saw it in the game and the fourth official saw it. It’s not the worst mistake in the world but it is so hard [to take].

“In the second half we dominated the game. Usually I would say we could have done better. But I am not sure if we could have done better. I don’t know exactly if we could have done better because I was not in the shooting boots.”

Klopp was alluding to the number of shots saved by Sunderland keeper Vito Mannone.

“We scored the second goal, it felt good, it felt deserved,” he said. “Then I would say no foul, no free-kick. I saw it again and there was no contact. Then handball, 2-2, I must be honest it doesn’t feel good.”

Daniel Sturridge, who scored the opener, limped off with an ankle injury that is not thought to be too serious.

Mignolet stops Defoe in his tracks (Getty)

Liverpool flowed at the beginning but were ponderous after that. Moyes thought that his team and tactics should be given credit.

“I thought we did well,” Moyes said. “We stuck at it. We stuck against Liverpool as much as we could and tried to make it hard for them and we played well as well.”

Referring back to Klopp’s comments in November, after Liverpool had beaten Sunderland 2-0 at Anfield and Klopp called Moyes team “the most defensive team I ever saw”, Moyes added knowingly: “I honestly thought today the players raised the supporters by the way they got up to Liverpool, how they put them under pressure, how they pressed them.