Right up until March it appeared as if Jurgen Klopp's final season as Liverpool manager was going to end on a glorious high. Having already won the Carabao Cup with 'kids', the German's resurgent Reds were top of the Premier League and looking forward to quarter-finals in both the FA Cup and Europa League.
However, the wheels came off in spectacular fashion. As Klopp subsequently conceded, a shock FA Cup loss to Manchester United grossly affected Liverpool's confidence, and drawing another game at Old Trafford that they had dominated signalled the start of the collapse of their title challenge, while high hopes of securing a Europa League final send-off for Klopp in Dublin were dashed in emphatic fashion by eventual winners Atalanta.
Overall, though, the season was a success, given it had begun with serious doubts over the strength of Klopp's squad. The midfield overhaul worked out well in the end, with Liverpool not only winning a trophy but also earning a vital return to the Champions League via a third-placed finish in the Premier League.
Consequently, Klopp was able to bid an emotional farewell to Anfield knowing that he had left the team in rude health for his successor, Arne Slot. The question now, of course, is how will Liverpool fare in their first season under their new Dutch manager?..