Brendan Rodgers has conceded that his Liverpool side were "second best" in this afternoon's shock FA Cup semi-final defeat to Aston Villa at Wembley.
The Reds fell at the penultimate hurdle as goals from Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph ruled out Philippe Coutinho's first-half opener to secure a 2-1 win.
Rodgers's side sit 10 places above Villa in the Premier League table, and the Northern Irishman admits that his charges were "nowhere near" the level needed to advance.
"I thought we were second best today in all honesty. We were nowhere near the energy we normally associate with the team," he is quoted as saying by talkSPORT.
"The overall flow and rhythm of the game - we were nowhere near the level we have been in the last few years."
Villa return to Wembley on May 30 for the final against Arsenal.
