The recriminations over Liverpool’s defeat away to Wigan Athletic continued on Tuesday but they will not include a Football Association charge against their captain, Steven Gerrard, for allegedly flicking a ‘V-sign’ at referee Andre Marriner.

Liverpool reacted quickly to deny the claim, which followed Gerrard’s booking in the 82nd minute, after which he also mouthed an obscenity, for a heavy challenge on Wigan’s James McCarthy during the 1-0 loss.

The FA, it is understood, accept Liverpool’s version of events that Gerrard was not gesturing at Marriner. Indeed the midfielder was making the point that he had been brought down twice in bad tackles and there had been no sanction while he was annoyed at being cautioned. He was not specifically targeting the official.

Marriner saw the reaction of Gerrard, who captained England last week and could do without being attached to such controversy, and did not deem it worthy of further punishment while the FA have not asked the referee to reconsider the incident after receiving his match report and speaking to him.

While that will be a relief to Liverpool, and Gerrard, the defeat has left them floundering in sixth position and in real danger of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League. That would leave manager Rafael Benítez, who is still wanted by Juventus at the end of this season, in a perilous position and affect the club’s finances.

The future of players such as Gerrard and, more pressingly, Fernando Torres, who will not want to miss out, and Javier Mascherano, who is unsure whether he wants to sign a new contract, would also be in doubt.

The club’s decline drew a stinging rebuke on Tuesday from Dave Whelan, the Wigan chairman.

“Liverpool are in a mess,” he said. “The owners, being American, I don’t think they feel what we [as British owners] feel.

“We went to Anfield earlier in the season and there’s absolutely no atmosphere and no heart at all. The supporters feel that and I think the players are starting to feel it.”

With their season unravelling, Liverpool will now travel to Lille on Wednesday for the first-leg of their Europa Cup last-16 match. They may well be without Yossi Benayoun for Thursday’s game after he missed training with an ankle injury.

Daniel Agger returns while the only positive news from the Wigan game was Glen Johnson’s comeback, after more than two months out with a knee ligament injury.