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Frustration is likely still sitting inside Liverpool’s field.
After a war of attrition on the south coast, the champions appeared to be heading for another three hard-won points when VAR intervened again.
After having two goals scored for offside, the VAR would intervene for the third time in the match, falling again on the Brighton side.
Andy Robertson was deemed to have caught Danny Welbeck and, after consulting with the field monitor, referee Stuart Attwell agreed.
The late ruling hit Liverpool harder when Pascal Gross scored from 12 yards to give the hosts a point.
But you knew all that, of course.
What you might have missed was a series of other subplots at Amex Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
Klopp applause
After referee Attwell reversed his decision and awarded the penalty, Klopp could be seen slapping wryly in the direction of the fourth official, Simon Hooper.
The Reds coach, who was clearly outraged by the decision, could only offer a mocking applause to the referees, as the last fringe decision was against him and his players.
Whether the Football Association takes action remains to be seen, but Klopp’s actions exposed how frustrated he was over the death.
Alisson in the book
Another on Liverpool’s payroll who was unhappy with the late penalty award was goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
After seeing Neil Maupay send a kick from his left post, the Brazilian would face another.
In his 100th appearance as a Liverpool player, this was the opportunity for him to become a greater hero than he already is in the eyes of the club’s fan base.
However, Alisson was not thinking of personal glory as he was furious over the controversial call.
Amid all the backlash to Attwell’s decision, it was a yellow card that went unnoticed.
It would be the only one the Reds picked up in the entire game.
Message received
A furious Liverpool team made sure their feelings came true in the wake of this draw.
As the Reds returned to Merseyside from the south coast, a handful of players took to social media to vent.
First, there was Andy Robertson on Twitter, who was “liked” on two posts that questioned the decision to penalize and the general use of video technology in the game.
Liverpool’s left-back would later tweet: “I wonder when the people who play the game will have a say! Very frustrating day, but credit to Brighton, really tough opponent!”
Then came James Milner, who posted: “It is ‘clear and obvious’ that we need a serious discussion on VAR.
“I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like they are falling out of love with the game in its current state.”
And Jordan Henderson, who had given an interview in which he expressed his frank views on VAR, backed up the position of his teammates with a series of applause emojis.
It’s rare for the Liverpool team to take to social media to express their frustrations, with the platforms normally reserved for generic post-match offers thanking fans for their continued support.
However, this time around, with anger still bubbling, the thoughts and feelings apparently had to be made public.
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