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Brendan Rodgers ended Sunday's match against Everton, a 1-1 draw that could at the time have even seemed encouraging, not knowing that the decision to sack him had already been made. That whether he won or lost—or, as it happened, drew—his time as Liverpool manager had come to an end.
There had been too much invested for the poor performances and middling results of the past 16 months. He had been given time and money to rebuild, to find a new identity for the club following the departure of Luis Suarez, and he had failed. The club's owners had decided to make a change, even if he didn't know it yet.
"No, not really," he told Sky when they asked their final question during a live interview: whether Sunday's performance against Everton was the kind fans and the owners needed to see more of if he was to have any chance surviving as Liverpool manager for much longer. If he sensed he was already gone, he hid it well.
More will certainly come out in the next few days, including perhaps a farewell statement from Rodgers, but for now at least these mark the final public words from Liverpool's now departing manager. Whatever one thought of his time in charge, it's hard not to feel a hint of sadness reading back over them now.
"I just continue to work," he continued. "I'm not really worried. I know there's pressure from the outside—people wanting to put pressure on to sell papers and give the media something to speak about—but there's nothing for me other than to work hard every day, and I'll be here as long as I'm asked to be here.
"As I've said, I think I can really help the club in terms of what it is they're trying to do, and until they tell me otherwise I'll give my all to make this football club better. If the time comes for me not to be here, I'll accept that and move on because it's an incredible club. It's a wonderful football club to work for.
"But I hope I'm here for a little longer yet."
Rodgers always gave the sense he wanted to do well by the club and its fans. To return them to glory. For a brief time, it even seemed he might be the man to do just that. In the end it didn't work out, but for a time it truly felt as though there was a budding world class manager in Brendan Rodgers somewhere. Perhaps still is.
Hopefully, having parted ways, both departed manager and his now former club can find that success they couldn't quite manage together.
