Jurgen Klopp delivers Liverpool title race warning after dropped points vs Leicester

Harry Maguire's goal prevented the Reds from fully capitalising on Manchester City's loss at Newcastle on Tuesday to leave them five points clear at the top

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool cannot expect to cruise to the Premier League title by beating every side in their run-in.

Harry Maguire cancelled out Sadio Mane’s third minute strike to cost the Reds victory at Anfield to let Manchester City off after their defeat to Newcastle on Tuesday.

Klopp believes it is a point gained, thinking optimistically, though fans are adamant they have spurned a glorious opportunity to move seven points clear.

Klopp, now five points clear in the title race, expects a rocky time as they plot their way home in the final three months of the season.

“We have to accept the result, which is no problem,” he said.

“We don’t think we run through the league and beat everybody. We got a point. Not perfect but still good enough.

“Am I disappointed after we don’t win a game? Of course I am. But I don’t bring it together with the Man City game. I understand all these thoughts, but what shall we do now?

“It’s easy to ask all these questions, but we have to make sure that we are not influenced too much by these things.

“The boys are normal human beings, I am a normal human being. We want to win a game and we don’t, so we don’t feel brilliant.

Sadio Mane celebrates his opening goal (Liverpool FC via Getty)

“But then we have to talk about what does it mean for the Man City thing? Not too much to be honest.

“We have a point more than before. That’s not exactly what we wanted to have, but still everything is fine in the moment.

“Now we have a few days to prepare West Ham, and we go again. Then Bournemouth and we go again.

“That’s what we do, not counting points and hoping for gaps between us and other teams. We have to win our football games. That didn’t happen and so we are not happy about that, but nothing more.”

Klopp could not hide his disdain for the performance of referee Martin Atkinson.

Maguire may have been sent off for a second bookable offence when he hauled down Mane, while Naby Keita was denied a penalty after Ricardo Pereira's challenge.

“I think everyone agrees it could have been a penalty but I don’t know why it was not given,” Klopp said.

“I don’t know what he thought in that moment. I think he had the best position.

“A penalty is a penalty, there was no blood involved again but it’s a penalty because one of our players is in the box.

“Then we have the situation with Maguire, the second time in a game where a striker of ours is brought down at the halfway line, and we treat it like it was I don’t know where!

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool cannot expect to coast to the title (Getty)

“Mane would not have been alone (on goal) because Mo Salah would have been around him, it was a two-versus-Schmeichel situation, if that is not a real goalscoring situation, I don’t know what is.”

The draw ended a run of three successive defeats and Leicester boss Claude Puel was satisfied with the result but felt slightly disappointed they did not make more of their improved display.

“I think it is a good performance. I have a little regret at the end because we had some fantastic chances at the beginning of the second half,” he said.

“We showed fantastic character and personality.”