The Merseyside club threw away a 2-1 lead to settle for a 2-2 draw with only minutes remaining on the clock, and will have to wait until the final day to secure progression to the round of 16.

English Premier League side Liverpool let a 2-1 lead slip against Bulgarian side PFC Ludogorets Razgrad to draw 2-2 away from home in the dying minutes of Wednesday's Champions League tie, but according to their manager Brendan Rodgers, all of that is “irrelevant”.

After conceding early on in the game from a Dani Abalo goal after three minutes thanks to a Simon Mignolet blunder, the Reds marched into the lead through first-half goals from Rickie Lambert and Jordan Henderson.

However, with only two minutes remaining on the clock, Liverpool surrendered their advantage courtesy of an 88th minute Georgi Terziev header. Despite the latest setback though, Liverpool can still seal progression to the round of 16 given they overcome Matchday 6 opponents Basel at Anfield, something the club's manager was keen to point out.

"To go a goal behind in this competition so early, you need a team that is together and has spirit,” Rodgers told Sky Sports.

"We are disappointed with the goal at the end but it's irrelevant now. We need to win against Basel anyway and we looked at that game at the start of the tournament as the crucial one."

Liverpool currently sit in third with four points after five games, with their Swiss opponents two points ahead, occupying second spot. 

"I was worried when we went behind and it was a poor goal to give away but we showed wonderful resilience and kept our focus."

After the game, pundits questioned Rodgers decision to remove English attacker Raheem Sterling, who set up his side's second goal of the night with a wonderful assist, eight minutes before time, but according to the Liverpool manager, the Three Lions ace was suffering of stomach illness.

"He had a bad stomach and was buckled over in pain for six or seven minutes," the Reds boss claimed.