Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Toulouse was confirmed after a last-gasp equalizer was ruled out due to a VAR check, according to Joe Gomez.
Referee Georgi Kabakov appeared to have granted Jarell Quansah’s first senior goal in the 97th minute before checking with the pitch-side monitor and disallowing it for a handball from Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up.
Liverpool are on nine points at the top of Group E in the Europa League after a much-changed side suffered their second defeat of the season.
Gomez, on the other hand, believes the club should not have been chasing a point in the last seconds against a team they crushed 5-1 at Anfield a fortnight ago, and that the defeat in France is solely their fault.
“It’s obviously disappointing, we never quite got control of the game,” Gomez stated in a statement. “Obviously, they got out to an early lead, and we never really recovered.”
“They made it difficult for us because of the atmosphere, but it’s our fault.” It’s disappointing that the decision didn’t go our way, but we shouldn’t have been in this situation in the first place.
“I think everyone is obviously upset about it, but we have to control the game, and it’s easy for us to moan and complain about the decision, but I think they’ll look at it, and if it’s a goal, it’s a goal, and if it’s not, it’s not.” It is what it is, and we have no influence over it.
“All we can do is not be in this position to begin with and not be chasing the game at that point so we have to work on it and go again in the next game.”
“I think they made it difficult, we didn’t quite get hold of second balls, and they were quite aggressive in the challenges,” Gomez continued. We didn’t keep our cool around their box, and we didn’t make good use of the ball. However, we produced several good chances and scored two goals.
“So it’s difficult, it’s playing away from home in Europe, and it’ll never be easy.” But we must learn from it and try again in the next group game.
“Tiredness? No, it’s still early, and we have a lot of depth in the team, and the coach has made some changes. So it’s not a matter of making excuses. We need to get ourselves together and prepare for the weekend.”
