Liverpool lost their unbeaten league record in a 3-0 defeat at Watford.
A brace from Ismaila Sarr and Troy Deeney’s strike saw Jurgen Klopp’s side surrender their 44-match streak in Saturday evening’s Vicarage Road clash.
It brought the Reds’ 423-day run to an end and killed off their hopes of emulating Arsenal’s Invincibles, who racked up 49 games without a loss.
The runaway Premier League leaders made two enforced changes for the trip to the Hornets after Joe Gomez and Naby Keita were both sidelined by injury.
But despite the chastening reversal being a repeat of Liverpool’s loss to Watford in Klopp’s first season in charge, the German had few complaints.
“We weren’t good enough – easy as that,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
“Watford did exactly what they wanted to do, we did not. That’s how football works.
“The first half was a tough one, a lot of second balls, running here and there, we had the ball a lot.
“But we didn’t come in the right positions to cross, the right positions to finish, against a really good, organised side, with a top set-up for this game.
“You have to accept it, it’s not so easy, but it’s the proof we were not good enough tonight. It’s always very difficult. We have to accept it.
“In the game you have to fight. We were 3-0 down but we still tried, there were no silly situations where somebody got frustrated and tried to kick someone.
“If you win, good, if you lose, try to do it in the right manner and do it like a man.”