Ben Doak: Liverpool’s Young Star on the Rise
17-year-old Ben Doak has been making waves in the Liverpool first team this season, with three appearances and five times named on the bench. His faith in the club is clear, with a new long-term contract last month and Jurgen Klopp showing plenty of trust in the young forward. Despite his impressive performances, Doak is yet to open his senior account for the club.
Doak had a chance to make his mark in his first Anfield start against Leicester in the League Cup, but his close-range effort hit the crossbar. A few weeks later, Doak could laugh it off, though his target was no laughing matter. “My grandad was at the Anfield game [against Leicester],” Doak said on Scotland’s national team social media. “I really enjoyed that, honestly, the crowd was electric. Missed a sitter though, need to start scoring.”
Doak is seizing every chance to learn from the best, with one player in particular making sure he stays grounded. “I’m training with them everyday, I’m just trying to learn off all of them because some of them are the best in the world,” Doak said of training with the Reds’ first team. “It’s a challenge I need to live and rise up to [training with Liverpool’s first team], I just need to learn off them, that’s how I will get there [the top].”
That player is none other than Andy Robertson, who has done everything in the game and won everything. Robertson has put his arm around Doak and the youngster will only benefit from his experience as he continues to earn opportunities from Klopp moving forward.
Doak’s Early Career
Doak joined Liverpool from Celtic in 2017 and has been a regular for the under-18s and under-23s since then. He made his senior debut for the Reds against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup fourth round in February 2020, coming on as a substitute in a 2-2 draw. He made his first start for Liverpool against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup fourth round in October 2020, playing the full 90 minutes in a 5-5 draw before the Gunners won on penalties.
Doak has also represented Scotland at under-17 and under-21 level. He scored his first international goal against San Marino in November 2019 and has since gone on to make 11 appearances for Scotland U21s.
Doak’s Future
Doak is still only 17 and has plenty of time to make his mark at Liverpool. He is already making an impression on Klopp and has been praised for his work ethic and attitude. He is also learning from some of the best players in the world and is sure to benefit from their experience as he continues to develop.
Doak is certainly one to watch for the future and could be a key player for Liverpool for years to come. He is already making an impact with the first team and will no doubt be looking to open his senior account soon. With Klopp’s faith in him and Robertson’s guidance, Doak could be a star for Liverpool in years to come.