The Reds threw away a 3-0 lead in the last 11 minutes at Crystal Palace on Monday to draw 3-3.
Now second-placed City, who have a game in hand and a superior goal difference, could go two points clear at the top tonight when they play Aston Villa at the Etihad.
This campaign has been the Merseysiders' best chance to end the 24-year wait for a championship, but Rodgers insists it was always going to be difficult to leap from seventh to first place inside 12 months.
However, they have taken several steps forward and secured a return to the Champions League and the Reds boss feels it is all part of the learning curve.
Gerrard will move on from slip - Rodgers
To be successful you have to be able to lose
"To be successful you have to be able to lose," Rodgers said.
"If you look over the years the great winners have been teams and individuals who have lost and gone on to become champions again.
"For us we have made great strides this season and there is still another game to go.
"If anyone had told us in August we would be top going into the last week of the season we would've taken it.
"We've qualified for the Champions League but there is an awful lot more we want to achieve."