Jose Enrique has praised his new Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho for possessing the ability to create either a goal or a chance from seemingly nothing.

Coutinho, 20, only joined the Merseysiders in January of this year, but he has already scored twice and impressed many pundits during his five outings in a red shirt.

He has also caught the eye of full-back Enrique, who has compared the Brazilian to his fellow South American Luis Suarez.

"All top teams have to have a good goalkeeper, good defenders and a good midfield. These things are important, but the players who make the difference are the ones who play up front," the Spanish defender told the club's official website. "That is why they are the most sought after in the world - the strikers, the wingers.

"Coutinho is one of these players who, from nothing, can make an assist or create a goal. He's like Luis Suarez - from nothing, and sometimes up against two players, he can create something.

"You need these players in your team because in games when you are not playing well, they can produce something and change the game completely. Coutinho can do this."

Coutinho is believed to have turned down the chance to sign for Southampton when he joined Liverpool.