'Brendan knows how to talk to players'

The Portugal youngster insists his game has come on leaps and bounds this season working under the tutelage of Rodgers, and, after making his first-team debut at Fulham, he's targeting more future appearances in the starting XI.

Speaking about his adulation for the boss, Teixeira told the Liverpool Echo: "He is an amazing person.

"A really intelligent guy about football. He knows how to talk with the players to get everything from them. He is great with motivating the players as well.

"Next season we will have more competitions - like the Champions League - and hopefully I will have more chance to be part of the first-team.

"But it has still been great this season. I have been training with the best and it has been great to be part of this team. It is a great group, with nice people, and I am enjoying it even more as we are challenging for the title."

After making excellent progress in the U21s team under the guidance of Alex Inglethorpe, Teixeira was handed his Reds debut by Rodgers when he replaced Raheem Sterling during the clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage on February 12.

The talented schemer made an immediate impact as he almost scored and played his part as Steven Gerrard clinched a dramatic winner from the penalty spot.

He added: "Fulham was a great moment and my best moment in football.

"It was great to play in the Premier League - the best league in the world - and we won three points in the last minute. It was the highest point in my career.

"Brendan told me to go on, be confident and to try and score. I was on the bench thinking 'maybe I will get on'.

"I was happy with the way I played. Steven was telling me it was 'great' what I had done when I came on and that only made me happier because Steven Gerrard was telling me I had done well."

Besides looking up to Gerrard as a role model, the 21-year-old admits he tried to model his game on Brazilian ace Philippe Coutinho.

He said: "I learn the most off Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho. Philippe and I play in similar positions and are similar players.

"When you move into the first-team the game changes because it is faster, more physical and better technically.

"So you have to improve all your attributes. You have to improve your technique and how strong you are.

"In Portugal we start playing five versus five games and so that's where you learn the technique."

The first time the Kop caught a glimpse of the talent of Teixeira was August 17, 2011, when he starred for Sporting Lisbon as they brushed aside a strong Liverpool outfit containing the likes of Sterling, Jonjo Shelvey and Andre Wisdom, 3-0 in the NextGen Series.

Suitably impressed, it wasn't long before Liverpool made their swoop for the Sporting youngster and he signed in January 2012.

After arriving nursing a back problem, Teixeira took the time on the sidelines to get used to his new surroundings and settle in to life on Merseyside.

He added: "When you move, the language, culture, food and the weather is different. So you have to adapt. When I first came, I had a problem with my back and did my rehab here.

"So in those first few months that I was here I wasn't playing or training because I had to wear a brace. But in that time I also learnt English and also got used to the weather."