'It's demanding - but I enjoy it'

The 28-year-old was deployed in a right-wing role as the Reds attempted to salvage something from the contest to the Gunners, while he's also been operating in a left-back berth in recent weeks.

Nonetheless, Downing is adamant he holds no qualms about where Brendan Rodgers wants him to play.

"Hopefully a little cameo role against Arsenal will get me a start against Sunderland," he told Liverpoolfc.com. "I just want to play, I want to do well and hopefully I can have a good season.

"I think for me it's a case of being adaptable and playing anywhere. In the modern game, you have to be able to play in two or three positions. First and foremost, I'm an attacking player but if the manager needs me to help out at the back then I'm willing to do so.

"(Playing left-back) has been demanding. I was up and down the wing and it involved a lot of running but I thoroughly enjoyed it. As long as you are involved in the game and get plenty of the ball, you tend to enjoy it more. If you get a result too, that helps."

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Downing was moved to the full-back position for the start of the home leg of Liverpool's Europa League play-off against Hearts, having featured there for half an hour during the away tie in Edinburgh.

And the No.19 explained how he felt comfortable in the role because of the experience he had of playing in a deeper, defensive position for former clubs.

"I played there a few times at Aston Villa," he said. "It was on odd occasions; mostly for the last half an hour of games. But I played there during the UEFA Cup campaign with Middlesbrough (in 2005-06).

"That year we were always going for the win and I was playing wing-back, similar to how I have done in recent games here at Liverpool. So I think that's what the manager has seen and maybe he thinks I can do the job there."

Raheem Sterling has drawn the plaudits for his performances in the Reds' first two home games of their league campaign and Downing insists he sees similarities between Sterling and a younger version of himself.

"Credit where credit is due, he's a good player," said Downing. "He deserved his chance and he's done well in two difficult games (against Manchester City and Arsenal).

"We weren't great against Arsenal but I thought he was one of our stand-out players. He's very mature for his age. He listens and he's got a good future.

"I think he's in a similar sort of a situation to what I was in when I was young. He's got a lot of experienced players around him. And that is similar to how it was for me at Middlesbrough; I played with a lot of top professionals like Paul Ince and Gareth Southgate.

"I had good people around me who could help and Raheem's certainly in good company here. There's a good spirit amongst the lads.

"Glen Johnson was left-back behind him a couple of weeks ago and he will have helped him through - he's a good lad like that.

"So I think in terms of advice, I would tell him to listen and learn and just keep doing what he's doing at the moment. Take advice from the manager and listen to the players who are on the pitch on the day."

Downing and Jose Enrique are two of the four players who have remained at Melwood over the last week while 20 Reds ventured off to join their national sides for friendlies and qualifiers around the world.

Last week, Enrique posted a photo of his latest haircut on his Twitter page for just under 100,000 followers to view. Downing, however, was not impressed.

When asked about the Spaniard's new style, he replied: "It's not good, is it?

"As long as he keeps playing well, we'll let him off. But at the minute, it's not looking good.

"I think for someone like Skrtel (the short haircut) is fair enough because he's a tough lad but Jose is not in that category, so it's not going great for him."