Brendan Rodgers accused Jose Mourinho of parking two buses at Anfield[PA]Rodgers accused Mourinho of "parking not one bus but two" after his team's 11-game winning run crash to a halt to an under-strength Chelsea.
Liverpool's agony was compounded later by Manchester City's win at Crystal Palace - a result that put the championship back in City's hands because of their superior goal difference.
Rodgers struggled to hide his disdain at Mourinho's negative methods after break away goals from Demba Ba, in first half added time, and Willian in second half stoppage time, secured a victory that keeps all three teams still in with a title chance.
He said: "We were the team that wanted to win - they probably came for a draw. They sat in deep. There were probably two buses parked today instead of one. You don't just see it against Atletico Madrid [in the Champions League] it's against most teams. It's a defensive style of football and the polar opposite of the way we work.
"It gets results, Jose has got his today, and he will be happy with that.
"Credit to them they got the bodies back but it's not difficult to coach to just get 10 players right on your 18-yard box.
"It was difficult for us. They virtually played from the off with a back six, with the wingers coming back. It was 10 players behind the ball from the first minute and we found it difficult to break down."
It was a bad day for Rodgers and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard [GETTY]Asked if he would ever play that way, he replied: "What do you think?"
Rodgers also blasted Chelsea's time-wasting methods that infuriated his players and the home fans.
He added: "It was disappointing. I think they got (a player) booked for time wasting in the 92nd minute but you could see from first whistle that was the plan to frustrate but teams work in a different way. We are a team that tries to win in a sporting manner, try to work and initiate the game with the ball."
Rodgers backed distraught skipper Steve Gerrard whose cataclysmic mistake gifted Chelsea's their first goal by Demba Ba - and could effectively cost Liverpool the title - with Willian scoring the second.
"There is certainly no blame," he said. "We are in this position because of him, he has been so instrumental for us.
"It is just unfortunate that it happened to him - it could have happened to anyone. I said at half-time this is a boy who has picked up this club so many times and it just really unfortunate that he slipped at a crucial moment just on half-time.
"We were hoping that one or two could step up to the plate instead of him. We just couldn't do that for the team or him. We are disappointed with the result but I only have pride for the players."
Rodgers accused Mourinho's men of time-wasting [PA]Mourinho was unrepentant about his tactics, but still refused to accept Chelsea can win the title and could not explain why he ran up the tunnel at the final whistle shouting "they wanted the clowns."
Asked what he meant he said: "I don't know. I was speaking with somebody that was speaking about the circus."
He added: "Defensive display? I'm a bit confused with what the media thinks about defensive displays.
"When a team defends well you call it a defensive display when they defend bad and concede two or three you don't consider it a defensive display. The team played brilliantly. "Every play was magnificent, no mistakes, marked zonally, they covered spaces - it was a fantastic performance by my players.
"We are back in nothing - the champions will be City or Liverpool. But now we can say we won both matches against the champions - if it is Liverpool we beat them twice and if it is City we also beat them twice."
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