When Kenny Dalglish was sacked as Liverpool manager in May 2012 there was an outcry from many Reds fanatics.

The legendary Scot, untouchable in the eyes of some on Merseyside, had been in charge since January the previous year, having taken over from the disastrous reign of Roy Hodgson — but in all honesty he had not done a particularly good job.

The Reds finished eighth in his only full season in charge (2011/12) and although he got Liverpool playing good football again, and was rather unlucky with the amount of times they hit the woodwork, a change was necessary. His handling of the Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra affair didn’t help his cause either.

When Brendan Rodgers was announced as his successor, there were a lot who were unconvinced about a relatively unproven 39-year-old taking over at one of the world’s biggest clubs. He had worked wonders at Swansea but this was a whole new challenge altogether.

In the 22 months that the Northen Irishman has been in the Anfield hot-seat however, the huge progress that the club has made under him has been truly remarkable.

Last season was far from spectacular — Liverpool finished seventh behind rivals Everton — but a strong second-half to the campaign, inspired by the signings of Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, showed great signs of promise. They lost just one of their last 12 league matches and enjoyed convincing wins over Swansea, Wigan and Newcastle in that time.

If last season was a start, this season has exceeded all expectations. Prior to Liverpool’s opening game against Stoke in August, their primary aim was to finish in the top four. Champions League football had not been seen at Anfield since 2008/09 and returning to Europe’s biggest club competition was paramount.

With Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham all looking strong on paper, most “experts” predicted Rodgers’s side would come sixth.

As it happens, Liverpool are top of the Premier League with just three games remaining, having played some of the most attractive, expansive football seen anywhere in Europe this season.

Rodgers’s style of play, combining intense pressing, slick passing and fluent movement, has been an absolute joy to watch with the Merseyside club scoring 96 goals in their 35 league games. They need 10 more to match Chelsea’s all-time Premier League record of 106.

The pace and threat in the attacking third has been key, with Luis Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho and Raheem Sterling simply blowing teams away with their brilliance. All four have played pivotal roles in the dismantling of Everton, Arsenal, United and Tottenham twice.

Suarez has been the standout player in the country this season and should walk the PFA Player of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year awards. He has scored 30 goals in 34 games in all competitions and has provided more assists (12) than any other player too. There has arguably not been a better player on the planet over the last six months.

Sturridge has been a revelation too, finding the net 34 times in just 46 games for the club. Rodgers deserves great praise for taking a gamble on a player some were unsure about prior to his move to Liverpool.

Coutinho and Sterling have also been superb and the maturity that they have played with considering they are just 21 and 19 respectively has been magnificent. Suarez and Sturridge may make more headlines but the side would be lacking something without the young duo in it.

Jordan Henderson is a vastly improved player and has been brilliant throughout, while Steven Gerrard looks reborn in his new deep-lying midfield role. The 33-year-old was written off by some before Christmas, but the England captain has proved them spectacularly wrong.

Defensively they may not be the best but Martin Skrtel has scored seven goals and has been terrific. Jon Flanagan has come of age, Mamadou Sakho will get better and better, while in midfield Joe Allen is improving by the game.

When Dalglish was relieved of his duties in 2012, the thought of Liverpool winning a Premier League title just two years later was virtually unthinkable.

The strides that the club has taken under the brilliant leadership of Rodgers, regardless of whether they actually go on to win the title, has been nothing short of extraordinary.

The 41-year-old has the passion, character and ability to make Liverpool great again and the fact that he is way ahead of schedule makes his achievement even more impressive.