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Raheem Sterling ran, past the befallen Joe Hart and prone Pablo Zabaleta, into the arms of Luis Suarez. The pair collapsed, smiling and laughing, awaiting their team-mates; here came Philippe Coutinho,Jon Flanagan,Daniel Sturridge, to pile on top.

Liverpool had just taken the lead against Manchester City, six minutes in, through a sublime moment of invention from the then-teenager. He had been a regular part of the side which clawed its way into the title race with nine straight wins; this, when the full time whistle blew, would be number 10.

What a goal, what a game, what a team.

Sterling had been an influential part of that City win. In truth, he was influential throughout the second half of the season. With a licence to run free in a central position, he scored six goals, including two against Arsenal and Norwich - the beginning and end of their 11-match winning streak.

It was a time when Luis Suarez had just started to flag after months of taking on the league’s defenders; it was a time when Sturridge, having played 26 league games, started to fray.

But Sterling stepped up and helped form the league’s most exciting team. There were those three, then Coutinho. Behind them, Jordan Henderson and Steven Gerrard. In defence, Flanagan, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Agger, Glen Johnson. The likes of Mamadou Sakho, Aly Cissokho, Joe Allen and Lucas Leiva also played a part.

Though Liverpool fell short of the ultimate prize in 2013-14 season, they won. A lot. Twenty-six games in total, six more than last season, and eight more than Brendan Rodgers’ first year in charge.

The mantra in football is often to never change a winning team. But the departure of Sterling means that yet another member of that exciting side are now elsewhere.

In pictures: Liverpool 2013-14 season

How the team fell apart

Flanagan and Sturridge remain, but the striker has missed a lot of football since the end of that season. Flanagan is yet to play a competitive game since.

Gerrard, of course, has now moved to Los Angeles. Johnson followed the former captain out of the door, on a free transfer, to Stoke. Agger left last season to join Brondby in a cut-price deal.

Those three players left with the club’s blessing. The wages of Agger and Johnson could no longer be justified. Meanwhile, Rodgers’ decision to reduce Gerrard’s playing time signalled the end of his Anfield career.

Suarez and Sterling were different cases, of course. There was reluctance to sell either but the money offered proved too tempting; the duo, along with Fernando Torres’ £50m sale to Chelsea, account for a quarter of the 12 biggest transfers in world football.

A source of pride for the bean-counters, perhaps, as well as those who champion the transfer policy of extracting as much value from players as possible.

But for the supporters, not so much. Not with one trophy, and one top four finish, over the past five years.

The policy of buying potential is a sage one, in theory. The purchases of Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho were done with that in mind; it so very nearly paid dividends.

And yet, two years on, two of those are no longer at the club; another has suffered a torrid time with injuries and it is uncertain whether he’ll ever play as much, or as freely, as he did alongside Suarez and Sterling.

What it means for the future

If a team does not have the financial power of team such as Chelsea or City, or even Blackburn in 1995. then success is usually bred by familiarity. In 1992, Manchester United finished second; a year later, having only sold Mal Donaghy and Neil Webb as players of any real note, the same squad – with added Eric Cantona – came top.

For Liverpool, the sale of Suarez could not be avoided. Some would argue the same of Sterling, his status as ‘contract rebel’ signalling the end of his time at Anfield. But with Sterling now leaving, it highlights a nagging worry about how players bought for their potential are sold before they have truly realised theirs on Merseyside.

It also compounds a difficult two years for Liverpool. Their brilliant, brave, barmy team of 2013-14 has been dismantled for a whole host of reasons: contract disputes, loss of form, injuries and by simply being so good.

For a club like Liverpool, continuity can be king. It would take a brave observer to argue Agger is a better option than Sakho, while this summer’s additions – Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Nathaniel Clyne – would have no doubt been a big part of the title challenge if they were at the club then.

It does demonstrate the challenge that lies ahead for Rodgers and his team. He always anticipated his early reign would bring revolution before it settled into evolution.

But for the second consecutive season, there is talk of revolution in the air. And if continuity truly is king, the king is dead.

Long live the king. And long live that 2013-14 team – the task for the club to rebuild something like that again is an unenviable one.