How Liverpool's season has unravelled since Jurgen Klopp's bombshell exit announcement

It all looked rosy at Anfield in late January - Liverpool were top of the Premier League and four trophies remained a genuine possibility.

Then Jurgen Klopp rocked Merseyside. The man who was under contract for a couple more years, who had masterminded their return to one of Europe's dominant forces, revealed he'd be leaving once the season drew to an end. The German claimed he was "running out of energy".

After the shock had subsided attention immediately switched to sending Klopp off in the best possible fashion. Riding into the sunset with more silverware to his name, departing in a blaze of glory. Another Premier League title perhaps? More European glory too?

It was the dream scenario. In the cold morning after Klopp lost his unbeaten record at Goodison Park, the reality couldn't be more different.

The announcement of Klopp's departure was always going to go one of two ways. A club that so often draw on emotion had the chance to use it as fuel and build on their five point lead at the top of the table. The Carabao Cup final was just round the corner, another FA Cup remained on the table and they were firm favourites to claim the Europa League.

Wembley victory over Chelsea, owing to a Virgil van Dijk header, fed the narrative that Klopp's departure had only given Liverpool more motivation. The manager had increasingly begun to back youth in an effort to leave the Reds in a promising position.

The fall begins

Nine days after Klopp's announcement Liverpool were beaten at Arsenal, opening the door for their title rivals. Manchester City too were waiting in the wings and the Reds, in four games against their main two rivals this season, have only taken three points.

March is where the first big dent took place - a defeat at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. Manchester United score their winning goal in the 120th minute to end Klopp's fairytale ending. The German then didn't endear himself when he took on a foreign journalist in a post-match interview.

A quadruple had become a treble, but within five April days it came close to ending. Liverpool suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace. Anfield defeats are rare but the Reds fell behind early on to an Eberechi Eze goal and failed to take their chances, opening the door for long-time adversaries City, who walked straight through to take control of the title race.

Days later, again at their Anfield fortress, Atalanta came and breached their defences. All eyes were on a Liverpool-Bayer Leverkusen final in Dublin, but the Italians had other ideas. Klopp stood bemused as his backline faltered, allowing the Serie A outfit to score three times.

It gave the Reds a mammoth task in the second-leg of their quarter-final. One they ultimately couldn't overcome, winning 1-0 on the night, but ultimately going out 3-1 on aggregate.

All eyes then were fixed on the league and an unlikely City slip up. Instead, as Pep Guardiola's side watched on, it was Liverpool who slipped. Form goes out of the windows in derbies, or so they say, and Everton certainly fed off that, securing a 2-0 win at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.

As final nails in the coffin go, this was a hammer blow. Klopp could only apologise to the fans, who were always destined to idolise him regardless of how the final months of his tenure played out.

A move too early?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but just how might've Liverpool's season looked had they kept Klopp's news under wraps. Very little stays silent nowadays and the club no doubt wanted to avoid press conferences being dominated by talk of a possible exit by the German if it ever got out.

Wayne Rooney suggested that the announcement may have begun to filter into the players' minds. Wondering perhaps what the future hold in a post-Klopp world. For the whole squad, he is all they've known and even leading lights suggested they may be reviewing their options.

Virgil van Dijk had been quizzed on whether he saw himself featuring in the next era. "That's a big question. I don't know," he replied. He latter clarified those comments, insisting he was "100% committed" to the club. Mohamed Salah is another man who could yet depart as his contract winds down.

Nevertheless, the noise around the squad was an intangible factor, but one that is now being pointed at with Liverpool having to settle for one piece of silverware, unless there's a miracle, in Klopp's final season.

Wayne Rooney said on Sky Sports: "That’s what I was saying before about the timing of Klopp leaving. We all know how the game is. Players will look at that and see that as their way of getting out and they will be speaking to other clubs. We know that happens."

He also added: "I am not saying it is his fault, but the timing of when that came out, I think that will definitely have an effect on some of those players. I think Jurgen Klopp is almost like a father figure to a lot of those players, and for them players to go from Jurgen Klopp to whoever the next manager is going to be, it is going to be different.

"It is not going to be the same as under Jurgen Klopp. Players will find that difficult and we see it throughout football. I think some of those players will want a new challenge and I think Liverpool over the next two or three years will be in a transition period."

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.