Liverpool FC sacked their manager Brendan Rodgers last night following just three wins in eleven games in all competition. We look at five games that sealed the fate of the manager.
Liverpool had a rather poor 2014-15 season, finishing the season in sixth position. Despite that, the Anfield hierarchy decided to retain the manager and gave him 80m GBP of transfer funds to renew the squad, again.
However, following a dismal start to the new season and the opinions of the majority of fans turning against the manager, the Liverpool owners decided to sack Brendan Rodgers.
The general take on the sack has been that it is not due to just the results, but the manner of draw or losses, or as one of these five games is, even a win.
1 – Real Madrid – November 5th 2014
Liverpool FC had returned to the Champions League for the first time in 5 years. The fans had witnessed some breathtaking football in the season before, when the Reds had finished second, playing some breath-taking football.
Liverpool went in the game at Santiago Bernabeu with a second string squad, in one of their biggest night in European Football, and this infuriated the fans. Liverpool lost only 1-0 that night, however, the lack of ambition by Liverpool Football Club – five times champions of Europe – meant the fans could not connect with the decision of the manager.
2 – FC Basel – 9th December 2014
Liverpool FC faced FC Basel in the final game of the Champions League group stage knowing that a win would see them through. However, an early goal from Sebastian Frei and the sending off of Lazar Markovic in the second half meant Liverpool FC could only draw the game 1-1.
Rodgers’ tactics and line-up were questioned by the fans and pundits alike, with the manager’s failure to get Liverpool through to the next round of the Champions League playing a major role in the fans’ change of outlook towards him.
3 – Stoke City – 24th May 2015
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Liverpool’s loss to Stoke at the end of 2014-15 season was the point where the voices supporting the sacking of manager Brendan Rodgers grew the loudest.
The farewell game of Steven Gerrard saw the Reds lose out 6-1 at the Britannia Stadium, a result that shook the Reds support.
Things just went downhill from there for Brendan Rodgers.
4 – Manchester United – 12th September 2015
Liverpool travelled to Manchester United following a dismal 3-0 loss at the hands of West Ham United at Anfield.
With the fans already impatient following a poor 14-15 season, and the defeat to West Ham only further enhancing those voices, Liverpool had to put in an encouraging performance at Old Trafford.
What followed was probably the most toothless performance by a Liverpool side against Manchester United as the Reds crashed to a 3-1 loss.
The manner of loss, more than the result itself, turned even the most supportive of Liverpool fans against Brendan Rodgers.
Liverpool had been restricted to their half for most of the game and had simply come to Old Trafford to earn a point or probably nick all three.
Instead, they got none and the approach of Brendan Rodgers had the fans seething.
5 – Carlisle – 23rd September 2015
The final nail in the coffin, probably, with Liverpool just managing to draw 1-1 after 120 minutes of football against a side three divisions below them in the English League Cup tie. Never has a victory been received with such negativity.
Liverpool did have 47 shots and 16 on target in the 120 minutes, but, could not find a way through, needing penalties to win the game as Adam Bogdan saved the Reds’ skin with some fine goalkeeping.
Almost a fortnight later, Liverpool sacked manager Brendan Rodgers, much to the approval of the majority of the fans.