Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe conceded Liverpool were too strong after their 4-2 defeat.
The Reds were comfortable winners on Monday night.
Howe later said: "I thought Liverpool played very well. It was a really tough game for us.
"I'm still confused over the penalties we conceded. The second one especially didn't look like a penalty. We had one before that [not given], that was probably the turning point.
"We're battling to get our best levels back. The effort and determination was there. As long as we continue to see that we'll be fine.
"The most important thing is we're fighting. We're missing a lot of players, we've had a lot of tough fixtures in a congested December."
He added: "A lot happened. Action packed game. We're disapointed with the way we defended.
"You have to have the mindset that you create your luck. Feeling sorry for yourself never has any positive outcome.
"The players gave everything. I back the quality of the group. In time we'll get the results we need."