Liverpool will set Brazil on fire next year!

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes he has a south American at the club capable of taking the world by storm and setting the World Cup alight, and it isn’t Luis Suarez.

Rodgers has praised the talents of Philippe Coutinho and has said that he has constantly been berating Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Brazil head coach, about playing Coutinho for the national side.

Coutinho has been fantastic for Liverpool this season and Rodgers is delighted with the impact he’s had since his return from injury.

“Philippe is such a talent now, he is an ­absolute joy to watch, and I have been on to Scolari constantly about him because I know Luiz from my Chelsea days,” he told Liverpool’s official website.

“Brazil have such an array of talent in Neymar, Oscar and Bernard, but Scolari knows all about Coutinho because I have been on about him and Lucas.”

Not only has Rodgers been pushing Scolari to pick Coutinho, he’s also been pressing home Lucas’ case for a call-up.

“Lucas has got into the team, which is great. Obviously it is more difficult in Philippe as there is a lot of competition in his ­position. But he really is at that level and he just has to keep playing and pushing his case.

“Felipe has asked me to keep an eye on the Brazil boys and give any feedback – even ones from other clubs – but I’m’m only concerned about ours here and for me, Philippe is brilliant.”

Coutinho was at the core of the majority of the Reds’ attacks against West Ham on Saturday and his mesmerising dribbling caused cracks to appear in the Hammers’ defence which allowed Liverpool to break them down. He was involved in everything good for Liverpool and played the pass to Suarez for the first goal.

Rodgers was not surprised by Coutinho’s display – he had been watching evidence only days earlier. “I saw some videos of him playing from when he was 12, 13, and it was amazing,” he added.

“He was playing futsal and there was no difference to how he is now. He plays like a street kid with the joy and excitement of a boy but his performances are like a man.”

Liverpool have now scored four or more in four successive home games and not since the Kenny Dalglish-Ian Rush era have been such good form in front of goal.

No Liverpool player made more key passes against West Ham than Coutinho (5).