As he prepares his Liverpool side for their final game of an unforgettable season, Brendan Rodgers has allowed a moment of reflection on the campaign in between training his thoughts on what lies in the future.

The Northern Irishman's team host Newcastle United at Anfield on Sunday as the Barclays Premier League concludes for 2013-14, with a mathematical possibility of actually lifting the championship trophy.

A 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace earlier this week allowed rivals Manchester City to move into the driving seat just days before the denouement, meaning victory over the Magpies is the absolute minimum for Rodgers and his players.

However the last 90 minutes unfold, though, the Reds have ensured they will compete in the Champions League next season and produced a series of displays which will take permanent residence in the club's history books.

Rodgers was therefore in positive humour as he spoke to radio station talkSPORT on Friday morning, pointing to the lessons learned during the past nine months and outlining the next stage of development for his squad.

On the 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace...

I've watched it three times since and when you analyse it, you just cannot envisage the result being what it is. It's incredible. Fair play to Crystal Palace, they came back, but we let them into the game. The goal that we conceded for 3-1 was a goal that you would never concede at 0-0; maybe there was a lapse in concentration where you think the game is won. The message at half-time was just to win the game. People look at it and think we were going all out to try to score a load of goals - it was near impossible to get that amount of goals back. But because we got the two goals early on in the second half, it gave the players momentum and confidence to keep going. We'll learn from it. Away from home, we've conceded too many goals. At home, our record of wins and goals conceded is up there. So we know the areas that we need to be better in and we'll certainly be that next year.

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On Sunday's season finale...

I have been delighted with the progress we have made here; the players have been absolutely outstanding. In terms of where we were at last year, we've improved from last January and continued with that consistency. We'll keep going right until the end of this season, knowing that we've improved a great deal, and look to continue our improvement into next season. In terms of Sunday, all we can do is win our own game, and send the supporters away happy - they have been brilliant for us this year. I think we have seen the true power of the Liverpool supporters this season. The team has been fantastic and they have shared in that. All we can do is win the game. If we win our game and the result goes against us, we'll end up finishing second - that shows how much we've progressed and we've actually pushed them all the way to the very end. That's something we'll draw strength from.

On his plans for next season...

We will strengthen next year; we will add players to our group and our younger players will have a year's experience. Steven Gerrard, for everything that he has won, this is probably his first real title run-in at 33 years of age and it's absolutely amazing. The level that he has played at this year has been incredible. For him, me and the rest of the team, we'll finish the season strongly. The young players have been brilliant and they will have gained from this experience. You need guys like Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Daniel Agger, those types that the young players can learn from - that's important for them. There's no doubt that we need depth in our squad. We move into the Champions League next season and there are going to be a lot of games for us. It's always about players that have the technical capacity to play how we want to play, players with personality and players that are hungry. Those will be the three key ingredients for the players coming in.

On the support from the fans...

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I think it's great for football that we're back up there challenging, because you really see in the supporters that passion. It has been incredible. In the last few home games, they have obviously been willing us on and the streets have been lined - it took me back to years ago watching Liverpool, with the supporters, the flags and the passion that they had. That's also been a trademark of this season, the Liverpool supporters showing their strength. Right around the world, they have given us huge support and that's what really pushes us on.