'I'm playing like a striker, not defender'

The 27-year-old began the 2012-13 campaign in an auxiliary winger role and has contributed two goals to the cause, finding the net in home matches against Wigan and Swansea.

Enrique has returned to a more traditional left-back position in recent months - but with licence from his manager to attack at any and every opportunity.

"I have always been an attacking full-back but with this manager I'm even more," Enrique explained to Liverpoolfc.com.

"Against West Ham I played like a striker and a lot of the time I have been in the box. I really like this style of play.

"You have to defend less sometimes; you always enjoy it more when you attack than when you defend - that's normal. He has always said to me and Glen, and the other full-backs as well, that we have to play really high up the pitch.

"I really enjoy that because in the final third is where you enjoy it more."

Rodgers recently highlighted Enrique and fellow full-back Glen Johnson as the best in their respective positions in the Barclays Premier League.

The former Newcastle man admitted he had heard the praise from his boss but focused on his England international teammate instead.

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The Spaniard added: "I'm really grateful - I know he said that and you have to say thanks. We try to work as much as we can because football is not a present.

"You have to work every day; you are there now but if you drop your form, another player will take your position. I will try to stay there. I don't like to speak about myself but, for me, Glen is one of the best right-backs in the world.

"Our first thing is to defend - we are defenders so we have to defend. It's really important to have a clean sheet as often as we can.

"Our first thing is defence but, of course, in a lot of games - not just at home, a lot of times away - we have possession and control of the game.

"He wants the full-backs to try to be another attacking player. It's good because it's not just about defending and then attacking sometimes, he wants us to go all the time as another attacking player. It's really good, I really enjoy this type of football."

Johnson has asserted that progress has been achieved by Rodgers since taking the Anfield reins in June 2012 - does Enrique agree?

"In terms of football and for the future, I think so," said the defender.

"As the manager said from the start, and Glen said, it's difficult because he came with another type of football to the club that we're not really used to in England.

"It's difficult to get used to this system for players that have never played that type of football. Now you can see even in the games we are not winning, we are playing really well - Southampton is the only game that we didn't play that well.

"Against West Ham, we tried until the end and played really well; we didn't have luck in the final third. Of course, last year we played two finals and won one of them - you can see how difficult it is to win a trophy.

"We won one last year and nothing this year, but in terms of the future we have made progress."

Enrique's combination play with top scorer Luis Suarez has received plaudits this season, although the left-back insists it's easy to play with talented colleagues - a bracket including Philippe Coutinho.

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He added: "It's easy to play with good players. Everyone says sometimes me and Luis link well - I think Luis is a top player, it's easy to link well with him.

"With Coutinho, it's the same thing. He's a very good player, you can see his amazing talent and he's still really young. Luis had a really good year after just six months here before.

"Now you can see the real Luis, with how many goals he scores. With Coutinho, it's going to happen the same I think. You can see how well he is doing but I think he's going to improve a lot more - if he improves after what he has been doing already he is going to be a top player for us.

"He's a really calm player; he doesn't talk much but he's always joking. I really like him."