Brendan Rodgers on the Brink After Embarrassing Defeat to Stoke on Final Day

Liverpool suffered their heaviest-ever Premier League defeat, humiliated 6-1 at Stoke City in Steven Gerrard's final game for the club.

The result means Brendan Rodgers' side finish the season in sixth place, eight points behind fourth place, with Rodgers' position as manager in serious question.

The Northern Irishman had insisted just days ago that he was "150 per cent" sure he would still be Liverpool manager next season, per the Liverpool Echo, but that looks increasingly unlikely after this result and the manner of it.

Rodgers dropped Raheem Sterling and instead went with seven midfielders in his starting XI. Emre Can continued at right-back despite looking far from suited to the role; Philippe Coutinho was in a similarly unfamiliar role up front; Steven Gerrard moved into a more attacking role.

Stoke overran Liverpool in the first half, with goals from Mame Biram Diouf (two), Jonathan Walters, Charlie Adam and Steven Nzonzi. Gerrard pulled one back for Liverpool in the second half, only for Peter Crouch to add a sixth.

Gerrard and Liverpool's players were sporting a new grey kit, and it was certainly a grey day for the players, supporters and manager.

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Even Rodgers' biggest supporters will be struggling to find reasons for him to remain in charge at Anfield beyond this season.

Liverpool's targets for this season were to finish in the top four, win a trophy and progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League. They ended the campaign sixth, won nothing and earned just one victory in six Champions League games.

These past three months have been a complete and utter embarrassment, starting from the Premier League defeat to Manchester United and humbling at Arsenal a week later, followed by the FA Cup semi-final no-show against Aston Villa, and compounded by conceding nine goals to Crystal Palace and Stoke City in the final two games of the season.

Speaking post-match, Rodgers said, per Paul Joyce of the Express, "If the owners want me to go, I go. It is as simple as that. But I still feel I have a lot to offer here."

Quite how Rodgers would recover from here is difficult to imagine. He has lost the faith of supporters and is unable to motivate the squad he has assembled—despite spending over £100 million last summer.

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Mitigating factors such as the role of the transfer committee and the loss of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge may form Rodgers' argument for remaining when he meets with owners Fenway Sports Group for the end-of-the-season review, but these are now far outweighed by issues that have arisen this season.

Too often Rodgers has persisted with key personnel in certain positions when it wasn't working: Gerrard in holding midfield up until November, Mario Balotelli as the lone forward for months, Can at right-back in recent weeks—the list is long.

FSG face a big week. They have a track record of sacking managers quickly after the season ends, as they did with Kenny Dalglish three years ago, so if Rodgers is to leave, you would expect it to happen soon.

With some managers available this summer—notably Jurgen Klopp and Rafa Benitez—FSG need to act swiftly and show ambition by acquiring a proven manager who can also attract players of a higher calibre to the club.

With the Sterling saga set to dominate the summer, too, it looks like being a huge summer of upheaval at Anfield. Again.