Brendan Rodgers admitted on Monday he was "incredibly disappointed" to have been sacked as manager of Liverpool, but paid warm tributes to the club's players, staff and fans.

"I am, of course, incredibly disappointed to be leaving Liverpool Football Club," Rodgers said in a statement released by the League Managers' Association (LMA) a day after his dismissal.

"It has been both an honour and a privilege to manage one of the game's great clubs for the last three years."

Rodgers, 42, took Liverpool to the brink of the Premier League title in 2014, but they finished sixth last season and are currently 10th in the table with 12 points from eight games.

He was sacked three years and four months into the job, with Liverpool announcing his departure hours after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Everton in the Merseyside derby.

"I have worked every day to represent the club to the best of my ability, to develop both individual players and a team that the club's magnificent fans can be proud of," added Rodgers.

"There have been some very memorable moments during my time at Liverpool and I would like to thank all of the players for their hard work and commitment.

"The current squad is one in transition, but they have some real talent and are showing a strong sense of togetherness.

"I expect to see them continue to grow and develop over the coming weeks and I wish them and my successor well for the rest of the season."

Former Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp and former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti are the favourites to succeed Rodgers, with British press reports on Monday claiming Liverpool have already made contact with Klopp.