Liverpool sacks manager Rodgers after derby draw

GOOD START

The former Swansea City manager's tenure began so well when, after guiding Liverpool to a seventh-place finish in his first season, he came close to lifting the title 12 months later.

Liverpool put together an 11-match winning sequence from the beginning of February until the end of April 2014, but with the title within their grasp, it literally slipped away.

Liverpool were top when second-placed Chelsea visited Anfield on April 27 but an infamous slip on the turf by skipper Steven Gerrard allowed Demba Ba to give Chelsea the lead and the subsequent 2-0 defeat severely dented their chances.

Worse was to follow the following week when Liverpool were 3-0 up at Crystal Palace with 11 minutes to play before they drew 3-3 to effectively kill off their title dream with Manchester City crowned champions on the last day of the season.

With Uruguay international Luis Suarez sold to Barcelona and strike partner Daniel Sturridge sidelined for most of the campaign, Liverpool lost their cutting edge in attack and last season proved to be another disappointment.

They exited the Champions League after the group stage and Rodgers' handling of Gerrard's departure from Anfield after the midfielder's 17 years at the club was widely criticised.

Any hopes of a return to the Champions League faded in a calamitous end to the season which finished with a 6-1 defeat at Stoke City in Gerrard's final match for the club.

That was their heaviest league defeat since 1963 and that year came back to haunt them last month when West Ham United won 3-0 at Anfield for the first time in the 52 years since then.

Despite Rodgers' assurances last season that gifted England forward Raheem Sterling would not be leaving Anfield, he was sold to Manchester City for 44 million pounds ($66.78 million).

The gamble on troublesome Mario Balotelli also failed with the Italy striker shipped out after one erratic season.

Rodgers' failure to get the best out of expensive signings ultimately led to his downfall and leaves the club still looking for the consistency that was their hallmark during the 1970s and 80s when they won the league title 11 times through to 1990.