View: 100% Liverpool gem living up to hype after what he did on int’l duty
Tom English couldn’t believe what he saw from Ben Doak as the Liverpool youth star “destroyed” Josko Gvardiol for Scotland in the 1-0 win against Croatia.
The 19-year-old was handed his third start for the senior side at Hampden Park on Friday [15 November] and saw his cross deflected into the path of John McGinn to score the 86th-minute winner.
While Doak will not officially be credited with the assist, BBC chief Scotland football writer English ran out of superlatives to describe the forward’s display on the Scottish Football Podcast [16 November, 11m 34s] as he made light work of Manchester City defender Gvardiol on the night.
He said: “I just thought he was sensational. The kid lights it up, Gvardiol – he’s just destroyed him, he’s destroyed him. This is a world-class defender who’s gone for multi, multi millions, playing for one of the best teams in Europe.
“Ben Doak has annihilated him. And it’s just glorious, absolutely delicious to watch. The confidence and the fearlessness of the kid was just wonderful.”
Liverpool have a potential generational talent in Ben Doak
The Reds wisely sanctioned Doak’s loan exit to Middlesbrough for the 2024/25 campaign and he looks set to live up to his potential for club and country.
Michael Carrick was all too pleased to lend the “dangerous” forward off Liverpool’s hands for the year, and the former Manchester United man has delivered on his promise to provide the forward much-needed game time in the Championship.
However, it is on international duty wherein Doak is showcasing his talents. While most young forwards would cower at the thought of facing off against a top-quality Premier League defender in Gvardiol, Doak took the challenge in his stride.
He completed 50 per cent of his dribbles up against the Croatian and managed to record one shot on goal, although that was registered as a big chance missed [Sofascore].
The forward also completed 100 per cent of his long balls and 90 per cent of his passes, with two key passes, and inadvertently created the chance which supplied Scotland with the winning goal.
While he did fail to find teammates with all three of his crossing attempts, lost possession nine times and lost 62.5 per cent of his duels contested, the numbers are promising.
If Doak can produce such a display against Gvardiol, there is no telling of what he could do in the first team at Anfield.
Perhaps amid the uncertain future surrounding Mohamed Salah and the mystery shrouding Federico Chiesa, it may be time to consider a return to Liverpool this season or even another loan move, this time to the Premier League.
In other Liverpool news, the Reds are planning a player-plus-cash offer for Antonee Robinson.
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