Give Brendan Rodgers credit for turning around Liverpool's season

On 51 points after 28 rounds, Brendan Rodgers has Liverpool in position to climb into the Premier League's top four and return to the Champions League for a second consecutive season. Having started the season with only two wins in their first five games, the Reds partially fell victim to the strain of playing on multiple fronts.

[It's not too late: Create your own starting XI – Play Fantasy MLS]

Less than a week after crashing out of the Champions League, Liverpool went to Old Trafford and lost 3-0 to Manchester United in the match that marked the low point of the Reds' season. Whereas Rodgers had thrived with extra rest to focus on the domestic league a season earlier, the Liverpool boss struggled to reconstruct his team identity while also pulling out results with the added pressure of the Champions League.

After the loss to United, Liverpool sat in 10th place on 21 points after 16 rounds. A full 10 points ahead, Manchester United held onto third place. Fast forward three months, and Rodgers' Liverpool has not lost a league game since that fateful day at Old Trafford. In fact, Liverpool only has one loss across all competitions, and that was a 1-0 Europa League defeat to Besiktas in Istanbul.

Entering Monday's match against Swansea City, Liverpool can climb to within two points of United.

Swansea, of course, is a special place for the 42-year-old Rodgers. The Northern Irish manager sat on the throne at the Liberty Stadium from 2010 to 2012 when he helped the club gain promotion and become the first Welsh club in the Premier League. Far from abject upon his arrival, the former Chelsea youth and reserve manager guided the Swans to an 11th place finish – comfortably above the relegation zone.

[FC Yahoo: Watch the Premier League's new candidate for Goal of the Season]

As would be expected, bigger clubs came calling at season's end, and Liverpool asked Rodgers to follow fan favorite and club legend Kenny Dalglish. While Rodgers' first season at Anfield did not lead to trophies or even a return to European football, the manager's personality began to shine through the squad and the style of play.

In 2013-14, Liverpool would have the dramatic title run that eventually saw Steven Gerrard's slip cost the Reds the league title. However, a return to the Champions League beckoned, and a second-place finish fueled the ascent of Rodgers' reputations as a manager.

While 2014-15 has not been a title chase and has lacked the overall magic of the previous season, Rodgers has Liverpool playing like the best team in the Premier League at a crucial point in the season. Since Christmas day, Liverpool has won nine, drawn twice and lost none in the league. No other team has claimed more points over that stretch.

[FC Yahoo: Are Jurgen Klinsmann's expectations too high for Gedion Zelalem?]

Before the start of the current campaign, the arrival of Louis van Gaal at Manchester United made the Red Devils a popular pick to finish the season in the top four. With Chelsea and Manchester City expected to lead the pack and Arsenal omnipresent in the top four, Liverpool was the popular pick to miss out on the Champions League spots.

Sitting in 10th place on December 14, Rodgers and Liverpool made that long tunnel walk after a forgettable first half to the season. As the best managers do, Rodgers adjusted his tactics to his available squad and corrected the mistakes of the first half. With the adjustments working and bringing Liverpool within a sniff of the top four, now, Rodgers must bring on his super subs for finish the season.

With Daniel Sturridge back in line to regain his place in the team, a scoring spree by the 25-year-old striker would surely secure a second season of Champions League football for Liverpool under Rodgers' watch.

After Swansea on Monday, Liverpool next faces Manchester United. If Rodgers can best Swansea, revenge for that 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford earlier in the season would do enough to propel Liverpool to the top four.

If Liverpool finishes the season in the top four, one would have a difficult time arguing against the Liverpool boss being the Manager of the Year when considering the loss of Luis Suarez, the slow start to the season, the series of injuries and the incredible rebound.

Liverpool may not win the Premier League in 2014-15, but Rodgers deserves a loud shout for what he has already accomplished at Anfield.

Shahan Ahmed is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. He has previously written about the 2014 World Cup and 2013 Confederations Cup and regularly provides opinions on the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga. Follow Shahan on Twitter: @ShahanLA and @perfectpass