Mixed emotions for Rodgers as Gerrard farewell ends in defeat

Brendan Rodgers bemoaned an error-strewn defensive display that condemned Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard to a 3-1 defeat against Crystal Palace on his Anfield farewell.

Adam Lallana put the hosts in front on an emotionally charged Merseyside afternoon but Jason Puncheon, Wilfried Zaha and Glenn Murray were on target as Palace ran out deserved winners.

Rodgers enjoyed the rousing reception Gerrard was granted before and after the match but there was little to please the Liverpool manager in between.

“He got a wonderful send-off,” Rodgers said of Gerrard. “He gave everything right until the very end.

“He was the one driving forward to get us goals in the game.

“The support he got was absolutely brilliant and probably what he would expect having been a wonderful player here and given his all for the club.

“In terms of that it was fantastic for him and his family and a special day for them; in terms of the result and the performance it was disappointing.

“I thought we started really well, scored a fantastic goal with Adam. But we made poor defensive errors across the field and that punished us at the end of the first and in the second half.

“We didn’t defend well enough, their attacking players caused us a problem and we didn’t cope with that.”

Gerrard will end a 17-year Liverpool career against Stoke City next weekend before embarking on a new chapter in Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy.

Rodgers accepts that the club faces a challenge in approaching life after their captain but it is one he relishes.

“I’ve always said he is a player and a person who is irreplaceable for the club, what he’s given over his time here. The standards he has set are second to none.

“We’ll go forward at the end of the season once next week’s finished and we’ll have to plot a way to improve come the summer. That’s our challenge.”