Three years ago, after Brendan Rodgers first walked through the Melwood doors, he pleaded with supporters to give him three years before fully judging his talents as the manager of Liverpool Football Club.
He arrived on Merseyside at a point where the club had spent too long into transitional periods and they needed to implement a philosophy, and a long-term project, that could be sustained for a number of years.
The Northern Irishman's tenure started poorly, but it picked up in the second-half of his maiden year - as January additions Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge made their impacts known instantly.
Having prepared for take-off towards the latter end of 2012-13, Rodgers' side went into another stratosphere the following year.
Led by a world-class attacking partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, the Reds came close to a Premier League title in blistering fashion, stringing together an 11-game winning streak, but ultimately falling short at the final few hurdles.
From there, things all went a little bit south - just when it seemed as though Liverpool were finally starting to turn the page of mediocrity over.
The £75 million departure of the Uruguayan the following summer left a sizable hole in the squad, one which Rodgers tried to plug with a raft of signings - including a trio from Southampton which amount to £50 million.
Liverpool were always expected to experience some turbulence, but after his second year in charge, the general expectation was that Rodgers was taking the club back to the glory days.
But with the 2014-15 season now over and the dust having settled, the post-mortem has begun - and Rodgers finds himself under mounting pressure.
Only 12 months after the Kop serenaded him with chants that likened his meteoric rise to Bill Shankly's reign at Anfield, there is now an increasing number of Liverpool supporters who believe Rodgers has run on his course - so what went wrong?
It started so promisingly...
In hindsight, the pre-season was rather misleading, even if the Reds fell to a convincing defeat against Manchester United in the International Champions' Cup.
It was the final friendly against Borussia Dortmund at Anfield in August which inspired plenty of anticipation and excitement ahead of the season. Anticipation and excitement that was undoubtedly spurred on after the way in which the Reds ran all over Jurgen Klopp's men in an emphatic and incredibly satisfying 4-0 victory - with Philippe Coutinho in particular putting in a dazzling individual showing.
Seven days later, after a long wait, the 2014-15 season was finally upon us - and it started to script, as Brendan Rodgers helped guide his side through a tricky opening day fixture against Ronald Koeman's Southampton.
"As the season goes on, we'll get better and better." - Brendan Rodgers, 18th August 2014.
The Saints were much more impressive than many had expected them to be, just as would continue to be right until the end of the campaign. There were a few scares, but Liverpool ultimately got the job done after a tactical switch heralded Daniel Sturridge's late winner - a sight that would prove to be rather rare throughout the season.
It was a solid start, but things took a brief turn for the worse as Rodgers' side fell to a frustrating 3-1 loss away at Manchester City. The loss at the Etihad Stadium was a game that first drilled home something that would continue to infuriate supporters all season long; an inability to take chances - but at the time, it was brushed off as just early season woes.
Nevertheless, there were certainly positives to take from the way Liverpool spurred themselves back on late into the game, and those positives were most definitely carried into a comprehensive 3-0 victory away at Tottenham Hotspur.
Yet again, the Reds ran rampant over the north London club - eerily similarly to the way in which they pushed aside Spurs twice in the year before. Full of confidence and attacking swagger, Rodgers' side romped to a fine victory - one which restored faith.
Mario Balotelli, making his debut at White Hart Lane after a £16 million move, struggled in-front of goal but provided a promising glimpse of what Liverpool fans could expect to see in the coming months as he starred alongside Daniel Sturridge in a 4-1-2-1-2.
Understandably, to most is seemed as though the coming campaign would be another complete with a swashbuckling brand of football that carried the Reds towards those lucrative top-four spots, if not even higher.
Then things turned sour...
At least, that's what Liverpool fans thought. The international break that followed was to be the first serious setback on what, come the end of the campaign, would form a long, long list of misfortunes.
Often the scourge of club football, the international break has earned an undesirable reputation for adding unnecessary extra games for top-flight players in an already hectic schedule.
These extra games often lead to injuries that could have otherwise been avoided, but the way in which Daniel Sturridge picked up an injury in September was made all the more annoying by the fact that it was completely and utterly preventable.
Roy Hodgson's decision not to allow the striker the extra day's rest that Liverpool grant him for recovery led to a thigh injury that was initially believed to keep him out of action for three weeks.
"We're nowhere near the levels we expect to be at. The expectancy is raised for us after the last few seasons but at this moment in time we are not there. We will continue to work hard. We'll look to bounce back." - Brendan Rodgers, 20th September 2014.
That created a ripple effect, and the setbacks continued into the second month of the season. A dull home defeat to Aston Villa and a startlingly bad result at West Ham United, as Sam Allardyce's men blew the Reds away in the early stages of the game, raised early questions as to whether the season before's form was all down to Suarez.
Thankfully, those two league defeats were separated by a return to the UEFA Champions League.
But a 2-1 win over Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets Razgrad was a closer shave than what Liverpool fans would have been hoping for, as they were forced to rely on a 92nd minute penalty to take their first win in the competition since November 2009 - so nothing was taken for granted.
Signs of hope?
A slim win over Middlesbrough in a remarkable penalty shoot-out win in the Capital One Cup third round followed, before Liverpool entertained Everton at Anfield hoping that a victory over their city rivals would be where they truly kicked off the 2014-15 season.
It was now nearing October and Liverpool were still desperately struggling to re-discover the form they found last season, with Luis Suarez approximately 864 miles away and Sturridge still out on the sidelines.
Liverpool led (and deservedly so) through captain Steven Gerrard's free-kick and with just minutes left, it looked as though Rodgers' men would take a motivating three points to finally get their surge to the top-four underway.
But then, up stepped Phil Jagielka.
Anfield was left silenced. A near-perfect 35-yard effort off the underside of the bar and into the top corner from Jagielka? It couldn't be.
But it was.
Liverpool were forced to settle for just a point and six games in, they had more defeats than wins, whilst the scintillating style of play that saw Rodgers and co. succeed in the previous year had completely deserted them.
Liverpool continually struggled to lift themselves back up. The frustrations of a meek defeat at Basel in the Champions League were somewhat brushed away by a win over West Bromwich Albion, as £25 million summer signing Adam Lallana finally made his first real impact on Merseyside, but the Reds were in desperate need of a pick-me-up.
Sturridge Setback no.2
Finally, here it was - the perfect medicine to a growing headache - Daniel Sturridge's long-awaited return.
Liverpool had severely missed the 25-year-old and as they prepared for a trip to Queens Park Rangers, Sturridge was finally set to return for his first game since the end of August.
Yet, he never did. Only a day or two before the trip down south to Loftus Road, yet another injury and yet another setback. Not just for the England international personally, but the club as a whole.
Sturridge pulled up in training complaining of discomfort in his calf with the injury originally expected to keep him out for two to four weeks, meaning the Reds would be forced to go into a number of big games without their star man.
Liverpool would rather luckily go on to scrape past QPR in another dramatic encounter, with three goals in stoppage-time alone. Steven Caulker's own-goal ensured the Reds weren't made to regret yet another lapse in concentration at the back, but the problems were here, there and everywhere.
An anti-climactic return to the big time
Three days after narrowly edging past Harry Redknapp's lowly Rangers, Liverpool took on the most in-form team in world football in Real Madrid.
The result, for many, was a foregone conclusion but the sheer fact that Liverpool had always prospered in this competition in days gone by meant there were more than a few that dared to dream an upset was on the cards.
As it happens, those few needn't have bothered.
Liverpool were completely and utterly outclassed, despite holding their own for the first 20 minutes.
Philippe Coutinho was the only Liverpool player that looked capable of making something, or just about anything, happen - but Carlo Ancelotti's men took a comfortable 3-0 victory into half-time before taking their foot off the gas to keep it at just that, when it could have ended an embarrassing scoreline had they not.
"The first 22 minutes of the game we were excellent but from the first goal to half time Real Madrid showed their real quality." - Brendan Rodgers, 22nd October 2014.
It was an unwelcome wake-up call, reminding Liverpool just how far away they were from the best.
Only five years earlier, had they thrashed Madrid 4-0 in the same surroundings - but their long absence from Europe's top-flight had really showed.
In truth, the misery had only really just begun. A frustrating goalless draw versus Hull City preceded a late, late win against Swansea City in the next round of the Capital One Cup - before a horrific string of four straight defeats in all competitions.
First yet another predictably unimaginative performance vs. Newcastle United, then another fixture with Real Madrid - a loss which was largely ignored due to the fact that Rodgers bravely fielded a second-string side at the Bernabeu, effectively waving a white flag.
Liverpool entertained Chelsea at the start of November already 15 points off of Jose Mourinho's men, a stark contrast to the way the two sides last met.
The result was hardly that surprising, but again there were one or two positives to cling to - not least the commanding performance of young midfielder Emre Can.
We've been here before, haven't we..
Next up, another opponent Liverpool won't have been all to keen to clash horns with.
Crystal Palace. Away.
Three words that no Liverpool fan wanted to hear just four months after what turned out to be one of the biggest anti-climactic games in the club's recent history.
However, maybe this was a chance to put that all aside? Daniel Sturridge was finally meant to return, after all.
But when things rain, they truly pour. The remedy Liverpool so desperately craved was once again denied, with Sturridge breaking down on the brink of recovery for a second time in two months.
On the pitch, things remained exactly the same - only this time, it might actually have gotten a little worse. Yannick Bolasie and Palace enjoyed their finest afternoon, since, well, the last time Liverpool went to Selhurst Park - as the Reds abysmally failed to exercise their demons.
Things were going disastrously wrong in the league. 12 games in, Liverpool sat 12th - although things weren't all quite out of reach just yet. Surely, things could improve. They had to.
Back in Europe meanwhile, Rodgers' side continued to shoot themselves in the foot once more after they not only spurned a lead at Ludogorets late on.
After Simon Mignolet was guilty of yet another individual error early on, Liverpool managed to pull themselves back in-front - only to let themselves down once again, leaving them on four points after five games. Even still, thanks to Madrid's dominance in Group B, Brendan Rodgers only needed his side to win in the final game.
Comeback on the cards
As unconvincing as Liverpool had been in Sofia, it stopped the rot.
Afterwards, back-to-back wins at home to Stoke City and away at Leicester City, the latter of which was the more convincing as Steven Gerrard returned to the starting line-up, raised a bit of hope.
Even as far in to the season as the start of December, it was only the second time in the season they had strung together two wins.
With a favourable run of fixtures on the horizon, perhaps momentum was finally building.
Sadly, it wasn't. Brendan Rodgers continued to commit the same old mistakes and as a result, Liverpool fell to another disappointing 0-0 draw on home turf.
Another drab performance in which a lone striker was left without support whilst the raft of summer signings were still struggling to fit in to a system that suited no-one.
Then came the 9th of December.
The perfect opportunity for Liverpool to redeem themselves. Whilst they had struggled to find their any form whatsoever in the Champions League, winning just one of their previous five, all they needed was to beat Basel in the final game to reach the first knockout round.
That, given the circumstances elsewhere, would represent a major achievement for the Reds. For a game of such magnitude, it was a given that the Liverpool players would lift themselves for the game, just as the fans would. Right?
The biggest setback yet
Unfortunately, it was not to be another one of those famous European nights at Anfield. Far from it, in fact.
Liverpool fell behind to Fabian Frei's first-half effort and it was all too easy for Basel to control the game and deservedly take their lead into half-time.
Things picked up after the break, with Lazar Markovic thriving after coming on as a substitute. But just as Liverpool began to pick up hope, it crumbled in their very hands.
Markovic, having looked livelier than any other teammate despite the short length of his cameo, was controversially sent off for catching the face of Behrang Safari by senselessly flailing his arm behind him.
"We haven't been good enough over the course of qualification." - Brendan Rodgers, 9th December 2014.
The red card, strangely, seemed to spur Liverpool on and they eventually pegged the Swiss side back thanks to that man Steven Gerrard, who only a few days after the tenth anniversary of his strike against Olympiakos, fired in a sublime free-kick from 25-yards to instill some belief.
But this time, it was just too late. Liverpool, and Gerrard, pushed until the closing seconds - but could not break through, and their return to the Champions League was cut agonisingly short with their captain unable to repeat the heroics of old.
It was another cruel reminder. Liverpool are not the force they were, and neither is their talisman.
Their resigned performances, falling to inferior teams because of below-par individual displays across the pitch, saw them sink not only to their haunches - but also down to the dreaded Europa League. A competition the Reds had worked so hard to break free from only a year prior.
There was no sugar coating it. This was a disastrous failure from Rodgers and his side. Quite simply, they had not been good enough and that was only drilled home later on a few months on - when those at the heart of Liverpool's 13-game resurgence proved to be those benched or even completely left out, against Basel.
From painful to excruciating
Liverpool had made a mockery of themselves towards the latter end of the 2014 calendar year, and the new year could not come quick enough.
Yet, there was still a sense that the Reds needed one big victory to kickstart their season, and just days after losing the glitz and glamour of the Champions League - Rodgers took his side across the pond to north west rivals Manchester United.
Louis van Gaal's side had not been substantially better throughout the course of the season, but they did come into the tie off the back of five straight wins.
Bravely, Rodgers decided that today was the day to switch things up. To finally ditch the unsuccessful idea of isolating a striker like Rickie Lambert or Mario Balotelli up top on their own - restricting the Reds' usually vivid attacking movement.
Instead, he favoured in playing an unnatural striker - Raheem Sterling - up top, supported by Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho in central attacking midfielder roles. At the back, Rodgers opted for a back-three to try and add some much-need solidity - with two wing-backs overlapping a two-man midfield to contribute in all areas of the pitch.
It could, and should, have worked at Old Trafford. Sterling wasted a gilt-edged opportunity and less than 40 seconds later, United punished the Reds' poor finishing and even more so, their poor defending.
"I thought we had done enough to win the game, it epitomised our season really." - Brendan Rodgers, 14th December 2014.
Liverpool's lacklustre work at the back cost them twice more on an afternoon where they would come away wondering just how they lost 3-0.
The end of it was, however, that they did. Through a mixture of Sterling's wastefulness and David de Gea's world-class reaction saves, to the errors of Alberto Moreno, Jordan Henderson and Dejan Lovren - things lurched to a new low for Liverpool.
Fresh hope on the horizon
And yet, whilst the defeat to United - a reverse of the comfortable thrashing Liverpool inflicted upon their bitter rivals only a few months earlier - was another missed opportunity, finally the Reds found a turning point.
With things looking dangerously bleak thanks to a string of abject performances, a new 3-4-3 formation was to be the birth of an improved Liverpool side. Improved performances, and the results, came with it.
"Our performance today was better than our 5-1 last season, there's no question about that." - Brendan Rodgers, 21st December 2014.
First a confident display at potential banana skin Bournemouth in the cup, before an equally as unrelenting performance at home to Arsenal - though their 2-2 draw with the Gunners showed that the defensive errors were far from solved.
Had it not been for Martin Skrtel's last-gasp header, the Reds would have gone without a point to show for their efforts - but the late goal would spur some vital momentum going into the busy Christmas period.
Momentum building
Just with Simon Mignolet's fortuitous return to form, Liverpool's form began to pick up after narrowly beating Burnley on Boxing Day, despite getting outplayed for much of the 90 minutes.
But it was the final game of 2015 that really demonstrated Liverpool's substantial improvement. A convincing 4-1 humbling of Swansea City at Anfield, which included an Adam Lallana brace and Alberto Moreno capping off a fine team move.
The Reds were much better, off the ball and on it, as they moved just five points away from fourth. The dark days of October and November were not forgotten, but they were at least being put in the past.
Finally, some promise. Ending 2014 on a high, it looked as though Rodgers had finally found a formation that worked. The Reds were getting their groove back and this was only the start.
New year, new start
Come January 1st, Liverpool were hit by a bombshell that shook the very foundations of the club as Steven Gerrard announced that he would be departing the club in the summer.
Los Angeles would be his next destination, and with that in mind, the Reds knew that they should look to ensure Gerrard's career ended on a positive note, particularly after the nightmare ending to the 2013-14 season.
It all started on the very day that the 34-year-old announced his departure, with a home game against relegation-threatened Leicester City.
Gerrard, in orthodox fashion, drove the Reds to a perhaps undeserved 2-0 lead, thanks to his two converted penalties, but the bottom-of-the-table Foxes rallied back and drew level on the hour after two sublime strikes.
It left the Liverpool supporters as shocked as they had been after Gerrard's announcement just hours earlier, but the defining moment came when Lazar Markovic's free header could only find the fans in the Kop, as opposed to the back of the net, in the dying minutes.
It was yet another missed opportunity which Liverpool were left to rue, adding to the failure to capture Alexis Sanchez, to the gilt-edged opportunity to reach the Champions League knockout stages and also the chance Liverpool missed to consolidate themselves back amongst England's elite, when they spent all their money on "potential" players rather than proven, experienced talents.
Gerrard was the man to rely on again, just four days later - scoring twice to help Liverpool through to the next round of the FA Cup after it had seemed like AFC Wimbledon could upset the odds.
Again, the Reds were far from convincing - but they ground out the victory to see them through - again, spearheaded by their talismanic captain.
The win at Wimbledon would be followed by equally as nail-biting victories over Sunderland and Aston Villa, with Liverpool slowly but surely making their charge up the table and their tilt towards the top-four.
Next up, a Capital One Cup semi-final first-leg versus Chelsea.
Stomach for the fight
Whilst Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool had displayed their ability to mix it with the big boys the year before, they had failed pretty badly in doing so this time around. The best they had to show, draws with Arsenal and Everton and a win over Tottenham.
So, when Liverpool's Capital One Cup semi-final draw paired them with Chelsea - they were virtually ruled out from the off. The looks on the faces of Graeme Souness and Jamie Redknapp, both former Liverpool players conducting the draw, said it all.
When Emre Can conceded a penalty in the 18th minute and Eden Hazard duly placed the spot-kick into the bottom corners, those who had written off the Reds looked to have got their predictions right.
But Liverpool fought back, with Raheem Sterling capping off a sensational solo dribble with a fine finish past Thibaut Courtois - who had a sensational performance to ensure the Blues travelled back to Stamford Bridge on equal terms.
Whilst Liverpool found themselves again lacking a clinical striker to finish the opportunities that they had began to produce so freely, the improvement across the pitch was more than welcome.
The draw with Mourinho's men provided plenty of promise, but as always - Liverpool would follow it up with another frustratingly average display.
A home game against Bolton Wanderers. By no means a walkover, but surely a game Liverpool should win with ease. Apparently, not - as the Reds drew yet another blank, meaning they would have to replay the fixture at Bolton at a later date.
Immediately afterwards though, they had the tough task of travelling to the Bridge to take on Chelsea in the second-leg of their semi-final clash.
As it happens, Liverpool would produce an equally as impressive performance as the first-leg, but they would come up short due to their substandard finishing - going out on away goals after Branislav Ivanovic's extra-time effort.
"This competition has allowed us to regain our identity. Now we have to move on." - Brendan Rodgers, 28th January 2015.
Liverpool could walk away with their heads held high over the fact that they hadn't gone out with a whimper, but they were still disappointed over the fact that they could have actually got the better of Chelsea if they had have been a little more potent in front of goal.
Sturridge's long-awaited return
But the loss to Chelsea did not halt Liverpool's growing confidence, and form. West Ham United were the next side on the schedule and finally, Daniel Sturridge returned to the matchday squad - starting from the bench.
The Reds controlled for vast periods of the game, leading through Sterling's eight goal of the season in the 51st minute.
Then, with 22 minutes remaining, Sturridge entered the pitch to a chorus of Anfield jubilation. Finally, the striker who had plundered 21 goals the year before was back - and at the perfect time.
And it didn't take long for Sturridge to make his presence felt, as he scored just 12 minutes after coming onto the pitch - slamming an effort beyond Adrian at the near post after Philippe Coutinho's fine set-up.
It was a moment that Liverpool fans had long been waiting for, and for once - there was an air of positivity around Anfield. In normal time at least, they had not been beaten for 11 straight games in all competitions - leaving them just four points off of fourth place.
The small man for the big moment
With the top-four dreams back on, there was more glory to be had in the FA Cup - where Liverpool needed to avenge their 0-0 draw at home to Bolton.
The Reds controlled much of the proceedings throughout the game, testing Andy Lonergan and his woodwork on a number of occasions - but a twist in the tale in the 59th minute threatened to take their chances of domestic silverware away from them.
It looked like it would up until the 86th minute, as Liverpool launched a stirring comeback. Having been reduced to 10 men, Neil Lennon's Championship side could not hold the Reds out any longer - as Sterling met a looping ball over the defence to slam a strike into the bottom corner.
But Liverpool were still left needing another goal as to avoid extra-time and with just moments remaining, Coutinho picked up the ball on the edge of the area and hit a dipping drive which hit the underside of the bar and bounced in to give the Reds a dramatic late win.
It was another much-needed boost, but unfortunately Liverpool could not carry it into the next game - a Merseyside Derby away at Goodison Park.
Perhaps one of the most boring Everton - Liverpool clashes of all time, both were settled to share the spoils in a dull 0-0 draw - but the Reds' unbeaten run was still well on track.
An unlikely hero
But truthfully, Liverpool had yet to face a real test to their top-four credentials since losing to United. That was until they faced Tottenham Hotspur at the start of February, with the chance to narrow the gap between themselves and Spurs to just a single point with another 13 games then yet to go.
Having rolled over Spurs in their last three meetings, scoring 12 goals and scoring none, Liverpool were the favourites - but it was a little closer than that.
Lazar Markovic handed his side the lead, before Harry Kane netted a quick reply with his 23rd of the season. Steven Gerrard's penalty restored the lead before Moussa Dembele levelled again.
With the minutes ticking down and Liverpool needing an extra goal, Mario Balotelli - the most unlikeliest of heroes - came off the bench to net the decisive goal - his first in a red shirt in the league, but one which closed the gap to fourth to just three points.
O Mágico
After Spurs, then followed an FA Cup win away at Crystal Palace, and a 1-0 Europa League Last 32 first-leg win over Besiktas at Anfield.
Things were going rather swimmingly and the Reds faced another tough task on 22 February, one which they responded to resoundingly.
It took just three minutes for Liverpool to put themselves in-front against Southampton at St Mary's.
Philippe Coutinho picked the ball up 33-yards from range, before unleashing a 61mph drive that dipped over Fraser Forster's imposing frame and found the top corner.
It was another show-reel highlight for a season in which Coutinho stole the spotlight and he took the headlines the next day, as Raheem Sterling added another late on - keeping Liverpool's fires well and truly stoked.
Another miserable European exit
Having been dumped out of the Champions League in disappointing fashion, the new-found confidence amongst Liverpool's side was expected to see them through into the next round of the Europa League.
Especially when Liverpool realised their away trip to take on Besiktas was at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, the very stadium Liverpool overcame AC Milan in back on 25 May 2005.
"We are disappointed to go out in the manner we did." - Brendan Rodgers, 26th February 2015.
Unfortunately, the Reds' second ever trip to the ground was slightly less successful. They actually produced an impressive performance in the first-half, enjoying the better of the game against a lacklustre Besiktas side.
But roles were reserved in the next 45 minutes and after threatening throughout, substitute Tolgay Arslan found the back of the net with a stunning strike from 20-yards in the 72nd minute.
Neither side could find a winner in normal time, nor could they in extra-time and so penalties ensued - at the very same end Liverpool last won the UEFA Champions League.
History didn't quite repeat itself, both sides scoring all their spot-kicks until it reached Dejan Lovren. With the pressure on, the £20 million centre-back who had so far failed to fulfil his price tag for the club, struggled again - blazing over the bar to see his side miserably eliminated from Europe once again.
And an emphatic response...
The loss in Turkey was disappointing, but there was no time to dwell. Just three days later, Liverpool welcomed Manchester City to Anfield in a crunch clash.
Just as their last meeting at Anfield, the Reds needed a win to keep hopes alive. Though the height of their amibitions were slightly lowered from March, when Liverpool had been fighting for the title.
Liverpool still approached the fixture with equal importance, and they started off well. In fact, they found themselves in front after just 11 minutes - Henderson's sensational 25-yard curler found the top corner.
City almost levelled from the kick-off, as Sergio Aguero struck the post, but they were back on terms sooner rather than later - Edin Dzeko finishing off an excellent team move.
Liverpool were in their best form of the season, in what would prove to be perhaps their best performance and result of the season, carried by a front-three of Coutinho, Lallana and Raheem Sterling.
Having produced the goods against City back in March to send Anfield into raptures, Coutinho hit a strike of similarly stupendous technique - cutting onto his right-foot and bending his effort past Joe Hart's outstretched arm and into the Kop's bottom corner.
Liverpool would hold on for the three points, one which extended their unbeaten run and moved them just two points off of 3rd placed Manchester United.
Things were going well. Extremely well.
Henderson, having been so influential against the reigning champions, was equally as pivotal in the next game against Burnley - lashing in a powerful drive from the edge of the box, as Sturridge added another in a simple 2-0 win.
Another home draw against a mid-table Championship side awaited in the FA Cup, and Liverpool were again left short - struggling badly to counter Rovers' defensive stability.
Nevertheless, the goalless quarter-final draw was soon forgotten when the Reds added yet another league win away at Swansea City. Henderson was the man to count on, though he benefitted from a lucky deflection to help the Reds sneak just two points from the Champions League spots. Refreshingly, Liverpool were finding their best form yet again.
A house of cards
Confidence was at an all-time high around Anfield and seemingly, at the perfect time. With just only eight games remaining, the Reds remained 13 games unbeaten in the league - having won the last five straight games.
It was the perfect time for Liverpool to welcome arch-rivals Manchester United to L4, especially given the fact their last loss was to Louis van Gaal's men. Or so, that's what they thought.
The away side started off much better and it was no surprise to see them score first when Juan Mata slid beneath Simon Mignolet after just 14 minutes.
United controlled the first-half, with Adam Lallana spurning Liverpool's best opportunity - blazing a shot over the bar.
Having benched Steven Gerrard for a game of such magnitude, Rodgers brought on his skipper at the break and he had a desired impact at first.
Gerrard crunched into a tackle, lighting up the home crowd more than anything had done inside the first 45 minutes. But whilst the Reds were crying out for some passion and leadership, Gerrard allowed it to get to his head - stamping violently on Ander Herrera to earn a deserved red card, just 46 seconds after entering the field of play.
Liverpool actually responded well, but Mata became the scourge of Merseyside when he added a terrific second in the 58th minute - executing an acrobatic overhead kick from the edge of the area to put United in charge.
"We will get a reaction after this and finish the season strongly." - Brendan Rodgers, 22nd March 2015.
Daniel Sturridge halved the deficit as Liverpool threw everything at their opponents, but it was not enough, and they were in fact owed to their goalkeeper who prevented the scoreline from being 3-1 after saving Wayne Rooney's late penalty.
It was the last result Liverpool needed, especially ahead of another tough fixture - an away game at Arsenal just days later.
Off the pitch, Raheem Sterling had stolen the headlines after admitting he had rejected a lucrative new contract with the club, and on the pitch things were just as turbulent.
Liverpool were again made to rue a missed opportunity, as Lazar Markovic wasted a two-on-one chance - and Arsenal would fire three goals in eight minutes before the interval to put the game out of sight.
Jordan Henderson converted a 76th minute penalty to offer slight hope, but it was too late and any hopes of a comeback were gone after Can had been sent-off for a second yellow. Olivier Giroud compounded the misery late on, hammering in a late fourth in a 4-1 win.
It was a humiliating result which really damaged Liverpool's top-four hopes. Suddenly, after things had been going so well - the Reds needed to lift themselves from the abyss once again to qualify for the Champions League.
Disappointments in the league were put aside momentarily, as Coutinho made himself the hero yet again in another FA Cup replay. It masked another substandard display, but it was enough to lift his teammates into the semi-finals of the competition. The dream of silverware was still alive.
A comfortable win over down-and-out Newcastle United followed, to ensure that top-four hopes were not quite yet over - but most knew that Liverpool needed a lifeline to finish in the top four. Instead, attentions were understandably turned to Wembley.
So near, yet so far
The stage was set, and according to many - the script was already written. Steven Gerrard, with the opportunity to reach the FA Cup final, which coincided with his 35th birthday and would be his final ever Liverpool game - would be the perfect goodbye.
It started well, too, as Coutinho - so regularly the hero for his side throughout this competition - gave Liverpool the lead with the aid of a fortuitous deflection.
From there on in, everything went wrong.
Liverpool collapsed, allowing Aston Villa to draw level just minutes later after superb work from Fabian Delph down the left before the midfielder cut a ball back to Christian Benteke to stroke a well-hit effort past Simon Mignolet.
"I think sometimes you can want to win too much. We didn't play well enough, and Villa were better than us." - Brendan Rodgers, 19th April 2015.
Villa were better in every department and quite simply, wanted it more. For that reason, Delph all too easily carved through the Liverpool defence and put Tim Sherwood's side in front.
The Reds never got back into the game and though Steven Gerrard's header forced a goalline clearance, lethargic Liverpool were sent crashing out of a cup competition at the final four stage for the second time inside a year.
With it, Brendan Rodgers became the first Liverpool manager since the 1950s not to win a trophy inside his first three seasons at the helm. An indelible stain on a terribly forgettable campaign.
Worryingly, the players could not motivate themselves for a game of such magnitude, and the effects of the result were to prove poisonous.
Despite dominating against Tony Pulis' West Bromwich Albion, the Reds' finishing was left wanting once again - as the Reds drew 0-0 for the fourth time, after avoiding a single goalless draw throughout the whole 2013-14 season.
Things continued to get worse, and worse, and worse as the Reds failed to shake their Wembley headache.
Liverpool dominated again versus relegation-threatened Hull, enjoying 69% possession after having had 78% at the Hawthorns in the game before. But also again, their performance was flat.
The fast starts, the quick-thinking attacking moves and the mouthwateringly entertaining football had long been sapped away from Rodgers' Liverpool side, but now came an inability to beat teams who simply sat back and put bodies behind the ball.
The worst part, perhaps the fact that Liverpool continually shot themselves in the foot - conceding possession cheaply and consistently, with Phil Coutinho the only real source of any inspiration whatsoever.
The end of the season, at this point, couldn't come quick enough.
One last say
Liverpool's season was coming to a close, and defeat away at Hull City essentially resigned the Reds to their fate of a finish outside the top-four there and then.
But there was still the small matter of four games remaining of the campaign.
The first of which, a fixture against Chris Ramsay's out-of-form QPR. On paper, it was a relatively meaningless game. There were lingering Champions League qualification hopes, but Liverpool fans knew they were slim at best.
Philippe Coutinho's fantastic 19th-minute strike gave the Reds the lead, but they badly struggled to kill the game off - Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling both wasting fine opportunities.
With 17 minutes remaining, Leroy Fer's volley pegged the home side back and it looked like it was going to be another one of those days.
As if the Liverpool supporters hadn't seen enough frustrating home draws, and it got even worse when Gerrard saw his penalty saved by Rob Green after a rare moment of indecision.
But Nedum Onuoha's two quick yellow cards offered some hope - which Gerrard grabbed gratefully, directing an excellent header into the top corner at the Kop end with just minutes remaining.
It was a fantastic moment. The Kop roared in delight as if Gerrard had just won them another cup final, and it cemented the skipper as their top scorer - a sad indictment that whilst Gerrard was not the force he once was, he still had so much to offer to Liverpool.
He proved that yet again a week later, when Rodgers' side would produce a frustratingly impressive performance at Stamford Bridge against already-crowned champions Chelsea.
Despite falling behind to John Terry's early header, the Reds fought back and Gerrard headed them level before half-time. Liverpool would go on to enjoy the better of the game, but again they failed to take advantage of their chances.
But by now, that was a regular frustration. What wasn't, was the fact that Liverpool showed they can still go up against the best of the best - as they really took the game to Chelsea. Why couldn't they do that throughout the campaign? Who knows.
Limping over the line
There wasn't much to play for in the final two games of the campaign, but surely the possibility of giving Steven Gerrard a fitting farewell should be ample enough motivation to end the season strongly.
Despite a dull start, Adam Lallana took charge of a defensive error to slam his side in-front at home to Crystal Palace - the penultimate game of the campaign and Gerrard's last ever Anfield fixture.
The bid to give the captain a proper send-off was going to plan. That was, until, the Liverpool squad decide to scrap that plan entirely.
"We have players with good character and if we can throw in some quality with that it is important." - Brendan Rodgers, 18th May 2015.
Allowing Crystal Palace to take a firm foothold of the game, they were practically helpless as Alan Pardew's side drew level before the break, before Wilfried Zaha put them in front on the hour mark, seconds after coming on - and Glenn Murray sealed the three points, tapping home from a missed penalty rebound late on.
The celebrations, rightfully commemorating Gerrard's achievements, went ahead regardless - but it certainly demonstrated the issues that surround Rodgers and his current Liverpool side going into the summer. The season wasn't quite over yet, though mind.
A sorry way to say goodbye
Here we were. The final game of what had been a dramatic, and often traumatic, season. There was nothing to play for, but it was Gerrard's last ever Liverpool game and so no matter what, it was always going to be remembered.
As it happens, the Reds' trip to the Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke City will forever be remembered in the history of Barclays' Premier League football - and for all the wrong reasons.
Five goals in the first 45 minutes, all of which went in the favour of Mark Hughes' side. How had it come to this?
"I think everybody, all the supporters connected with Liverpool, will - like us all - be embarrassed by that and they deserve an apology." - Brendan Rodgers, 24th May 2015.
Of course, Liverpool were improved after the break - but they had turned up well too late. Gerrard made the day a little less disastrous for himself, rolling into the far corner after latching on to a through ball - but when Peter Crouch added a sixth with just four minutes to go - it put a sad gloss on what was supposed to be a day of celebration.
As it happens though, it was a rather more fitting goodbye than it might have first seemed: for once, Gerrard, so famed for dragging mediocre Liverpool sides through the mud for so many years, could not help but stand and watch. One final time, it was him having to try and rescue the Reds from the brink - even at the age of 34. Perhaps, a rather fine metaphor for the years in which the Huyton-born midfielder carried the club on his very shoulders.
A year to forget
Eight points off fourth and 25 off 1st. The club's worst goal difference since 1993-94. Three more defeats than Brendan Rodgers' first season in charge and double the most from his second, the 2013-14 campaign.
Aside from a few highlights, including Philippe Coutinho's form, and memorable wins over Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City, the Northern Irishman's third year is and always will be, a major blot on his copybook.
Just 12 months ago, Rodgers was considered one of the most promising young managers in Europe - with an equally as exciting squad to boot. Champions League football would be back on Merseyside and they played an expansive brand of attacking football. Everything was rosy.
Now - Rodgers finds himself under mounting pressure. There's no escaping that whilst failing to meet targets of silverware and a top-four finish were bad, the spineless fashion in which Liverpool threw in the towel in the final weeks of the season - added to the dismal opening few months, means that Rodgers has a mountain to climb to win back the support of the club's supporters going into 2015-16.