Liverpool youngster Ben Doak may have played himself into contention for a place in Jurgen Klopp’s first-team this season, according to Reds expert Neil Jones.
Writing in his exclusive weekly CaughtOffside column, Jones made it clear just how impressive Doak has looked in pre-season so far, having settled in brilliantly and quickly established himself as someone the senior players trust.
Doak is still only 17 years of age, so it remains to be seen if he’ll get a chance to play regularly for Liverpool in the season ahead, but Jones seems convinced the teenager has enhanced his reputation and given himself a good chance of making the bench and perhaps getting the chance on the pitch in cup games and Europa League games.
“Liverpool go to Singapore on Thursday for the second leg of their pre-season tour. It was a good week in Germany with two goal fests. I’ll be interested to see now who gets their chance after Jurgen Klopp used 25 players in their last two games. Obviously you’d expect some of those players to now drop out, but I think some younger players have really stood out, and none more so than Ben Doak,” Jones wrote.
“Doak, a young winger, featured in both games and made a real impression. He’s still only 17 years old but he gets people off their seat and already looks trusted by the senior players, who were willing to give him the ball and let him do his thing – they’re not treating him like someone who needs their hand holding or needs looking after.
“He’s established himself quickly and it was interesting to see players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alexis Mac Allister getting on the ball and looking for Doak.
“I think he’ll go to Singapore, and we might see Bobby Clark, a young midfielder, going as well. Young right-back Conor Bradley could be another to go, and generally I think those young players, and Doak in particular, have really enhanced their reputation in the last ten days over in Germany.
“It may be that loans now beckon for some of those players, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Doak has now played his way into contention to be on the bench this season, playing in the Europa League and some cup games.”
Doak will undoubtedly have Liverpool fans excited, especially as players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott show that there is a pathway there for young players at LFC.