Shortly after Liverpool won the Champions League in Istanbul, the club's kit supplier, Reebok, brought out merchandise to commemorate what 10 years on remains one of European football's most staggering triumphs. Among the collection was a white T-shirt that had printed on it the caption: "Hughes to Thompson, Thompson to Souness, Souness to Gerrard"?

It was a clever bit of wordplay that tied together the men who had led Liverpool to their five European Cups – Emlyn Hughes (1977, 1978), Phil Thompson (1981), Graeme Souness (1984) and Steven Gerrard (2005). Four great Liverpool players and four great Liverpool captains, and in the case of the most recent, a figure whose loss may be felt like no other.

That certainly was the feeling as Gerrard said goodbye on Saturday evening to the stadium that has been his professional home for the past 17 years. It was a highly emotional, hugely reflective occasion but with Liverpool beaten so comprehensively by a Crystal Palace team, who scored through Jason Puncheon, Wilfried Zaha and Glen Murray – and it could have been five or six – a cold, hard truth was laid bare for the home side: that in the post-Gerrard world they look in danger of being a team devoid of leadership and inspiration.

Modern era

Whereas in the past the departure of players such as Hughes, Thompson and Souness, and in the modern era, Robbie Fowler, Fernando Torres and Jamie Carragher, were counterbalanced by the remaining presence of figures with top-level experience, a winning track record or both, there is little such comfort for Liverpool fans now. Gerrard is not only arguably the finest player in their history but also the last link with a great and glittering past. In his absence, and as things stands, remain a squad high on potential but low on proven success.

Their collective callowness was evident again. Having taken the lead through Adam Lallana’s finely taken goal, Liverpool fell apart against more vibrant and determined opponents. This was not the first time fans have seen their team show a lack of fortitude this season. In recent weeks crucial league fixtures have been lost to Manchester United, Arsenal and Hull City, while an FA Cup semi-final was lost to Aston Villa. A season of such promise has petered away with neither Champions League qualification nor a trophy to show for a team who 12 months ago came close to winning the title.

That would require a significant shift in Liverpool’s transfer strategy, which under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group has largely been based on signing young players with the capacity to develop under Rodgers’ tutelage.

Gerrard aside, there are only nine players with five or more years of Premier League experience – and one of those is Glen Johnson, who is also leaving this summer. The others include Brad Jones, Jose Enrique and Kolo Touré, none of whom can be considered regular first-team options.

Striking This is a group of players also short on trophy success, domestically as well as in Europe, and that is what makes Gerrard’s departure so striking; he is no longer the game-changing talisman of old – as was shown when he struggled to turn the tide against Palace – but he is someone with a vast bank of experience at the highest level. Liverpool’s third all-time appearance holder, sixth all-time scorer, their longest serving captain and the only player to have scored in the finals of the Champions League, Uefa Cup, FA Cup and League Cup. Quite simply, he has been there, done that and got his name on the T-shirt.

His absence will leave a huge hole within such a raw squad - the average age of the 10 other outfield players who started against Palace was a little under 24 – and Gerrard himself has called for more experienced heads to come in this summer. “I wouldn’t buy any more potential,” the midfielder said. “I would buy players that are ready to come and fight and be successful.”

For now there remains a sense of mourning around Anfield. Outsiders can mock the levels of sentimentality shown there on Saturday but the messages behind the banners in the Kop that carried Gerrard’s image and the raucous chanting of his name that spread across the ground as he embarked on a final lap of honour was as stirring as it was genuine.

For Liverpool fans, Gerrard is not just a player he is also an era, defining a period in the club’s history littered with extraordinary moments that he more often than not created through his force of personality and talent. Guardian Service