"If ever there was a reminder of how difficult it is to play at Anfield it was today. It really wasn't good enough at all." lamented Gary Neville after Manchester United's trip to Merseyside this weekend.
Promising teenager Raheem Sterling, on the right wing of Rodgers' familiar attacking 4-3-3 formation, looked dangerous throughout the opening half as he harassed a beleaguered United defence, while full-backs Glen Johnson and Martin Kelly had the freedom to bomb forward and provide extra service for Luis Suarez up front.
But despite a superior opening 45 minutes, which saw Liverpool have the better of shots and possession, it was goalless at the break - and the Reds were a man down.
Decisions
Shelvey's dismissal was just one of the big decisions made by referee Mark Halsey that incurred the fury of the Anfield faithful on an afternoon where nothing seemed to go Liverpool's way. The midfielder charged in on the ball with a tackle almost mirrored by United defender Jonny Evans but while Evans got off without even a booking, Shelvey was sent down the tunnel, refusing to go quietly as he left Ferguson in no doubt of who he thought was to blame with a mouthful of abuse in the direction of the United bench.
Along with that game-altering red card, Halsey also awarded United a penalty after Antonio Valencia went down easily in the box after contact with Johnson, and the spot-kick turned out to be pivotal as Van Persie converted for the winner after Rafael's classy strike had cancelled out Gerrard's opener.
The penalty particularly irked the Reds after Suarez had been clipped in the box by Evans but nothing was given by the referee, with the theatrical manner in which he fell spread-eagled to the pitch likely to have swayed the official in United's favour.
The decisions that went against Liverpool, as well as the injury blows they suffered as Daniel Agger was stretchered from the pitch late on and Kelly hobbled off soon after, no doubt played a role in their defeat. But the Reds' problems are more widespread than those obstacles, with the club still very much in transition under Rodgers as he struggles to stamp his style on his new side.
Their most obvious shortcoming, and one that's nothing new to the Anfield fans, is their lack of cutting edge in front goal. In a match where United were alarmingly poor, the Reds should have seized the upper hand by converting their dominance into goals. Even when the Merseysiders were running the show, clear-cut chances were few and far between and Suarez, leading the line, never really looked like scoring.
The dearth of an out-and-out striker is a much-touted failing in Rodgers' side and the as-yet ineffectual Fabio Borini - who is yet to score for Liverpool in the league since his summer arrival - is struggling to settle. Played in an unfamiliar role out on the left, the young Italian was one of the home side's few weak links in an impressive first half, and inexperienced substitute Suso looked more of a threat when he replaced the injured striker after the break.
An instance where Borini was left particularly red-faced was in the first half when he darted inside to meet a pass cut superbly through the United defence by Suarez, only to waste the gilt-edged chance with a too-heavy first touch. But while that gaffe earned the youngster a telling off from both his Uruguayan team-mate and his skipper, the flowing move was one example of some attractive Liverpool play.
Early signs
The manager saw his set-up flourish in the opening half and will have been infuriated by Shelvey's red card, with served to throw a spanner in his initial approach. However, even after that setback, Rodgers reshuffled with the introduction of the promising Suso before tweaking his shape again to accommodate Jordan Henderson in place of the fading Sterling, and as a result Liverpool showed they could still pose a threat even with a one-man disadvantage.
The indications are there that Rodgers is slowly but surely starting to make his mark at Liverpool, with the Kop's defiant response to the United fans' chants of "you're getting sacked in the morning" speaking volumes for the club's willingness to give the Northern Irishman time. The reply of "There's only one Brendan Rodgers!" suggests the Reds fans appreciate the signs of promise the boss has brought to Liverpool's game, even if they're yet to yield results.
Liverpool might have spurned a golden opening to spark life into their flagging season at Anfield on Sunday but more opportunities will come, even if they're on a less high-profile stage. However, with the Reds hanging onto 18th place with two points from five games after their worst start to the league since 1911, they will be wise to start making the most of their chances sooner rather than later.
