Boss: Use Steven's standard as example

The midfielder's 709th appearance for the club on Saturday was his last at Anfield, a ground where the No.8 has produced a huge collection of memorable and crucial moments.

To be in a position to make a pivotal contribution on the pitch, the hard yards must be covered throughout the week in training - and there the captain is a perfect role model.

"He sets a wonderful example," Rodgers explained to Liverpoolfc.com. "His standards are so high every single day, they are right up there.

"He never has a lazy day. When young players see that from a world-class player, and there are a lot of young players, that provides a great example for them."

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The eyes of the football world were focused on Merseyside for the Englishman's farewell ahead of a switch to LA Galaxy in America at the end of the season.

Crystal Palace were the visitors and promptly ignored any fairytale Gerrard script by claiming a 3-1 comeback result following Adam Lallana's opener.

Disappointment in defeat was put to one side when the time came to pay tribute to the skipper, though, with a rousing send-off reflecting the enormous appreciation for his exploits.

Rodgers said: "In my time here he has been absolutely fantastic. It has been a huge privilege to work with him.

"I thought the supporters were magnificent and gave him a wonderful send-off from Anfield. It's just a pity as a team we couldn't get the result to match it.

"For me, he has been brilliant in terms of the history of the club - really allowing and helping me to understand everything.

"I'll miss him when he goes because our relationship is strong; we communicate well, he's very open, like me. His qualities will be missed.

"There's another game to go and we'll not say our goodbyes yet. We have to be even more determined now to finish on a good result."

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