LIVERPOOL, England -- Brendan Rodgers said it will be impossible to replace Steven Gerrard after Liverpool's departing captain played his final game at Anfield.
Gerrard was given a guard of honour before kickoff in front of a standing ovation and a presentation after the final whistle as Liverpool lost 3-1 to Crystal Palace.
The 34-year-old, who will join the LA Galaxy in the summer, has made 709 appearances over 17 years in the Liverpool team, scoring 185 times.
Rodgers has the task of finding a way forward for Liverpool after Gerrard's departure but thinks it is unfair to expect any individual to replicate his huge contribution.
"I have always said he is a player and a person who is irreplaceable with the standard he has set and what he has done here," the manager said in a news conference. "We will have to plot a way to improve in the summer, and that is our challenge."
Rodgers feels Liverpool will face the third rebuilding job of his reign as another major player departs.
"In my time here, we have lost a couple of players in Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard," he said. "Those two players in the Premier League years here have been monumental. Throw in a world-class player like Luis Suarez and of course it is difficult, but we will rise to the challenge."
Rodgers felt Liverpool paid an appropriate tribute and praised Gerrard for his efforts in his 354th and last appearance at Anfield.
"He got a wonderful send-off and did everything right until the very end," he said. "The support he got was absolutely brilliant and what they would expect of him. He has been a wonderful player and gave his all for the club. It was fantastic for him and his family."
Adam Lallana's opener was cancelled out by Jason Puncheon's free kick before substitute Wilfried Zaha scored 23 seconds after coming on as a substitute.
Liverpool's hopes of returning to the Champions League were mathematically eliminated with the loss, with Manchester United now guaranteed of at least a fourth-place finish.
"The result was disappointing," Rodgers said. "We made poor defensive errors today across the field and got punished at the end of the first half, and in the second half we didn't defend well enough.
"Their attacking players posed us problems and we didn't cope well enough."