Liverpool’s seemingly unstoppable pursuit of Premier League glory this season may appear to be written in the stars following lionized Jurgen Klopp’s announcement that he will step down from his managerial position in the summer, having rebuilt Anfield as a major player in Europe since joining in 2015.
However – and this is a major but – Manchester City does not care about Liverpool’s poetic dreams, nor do Arsenal, who are hungry for success under Mikel Arteta after missing out on the title last season.
Liverpool are first in the Premier League, true, but they have a one-point lead over the defending champions and will be only two points ahead of Arsenal if they win against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday evening.
Liverpool defeated Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final in February, completing the first piece of a potential quadruple, before travelling to Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarter-finals and becoming bookies’ favourites to win the Europa League.
Despite a depleted team due to injuries, academy graduates such as Jayden Danns, Lewis Koumas, Bobby Clark, Conor Bradley, and Jarell Quansah have made significant contributions recently. While these starlets have had a significant impact, it is possible that Ben Doak, who has been sidelined with injury for the previous few months, is the best of the bunch.
Ben Doak’s Liverpool career thus far
Doak, hailed as a “prodigy” by Liverpool youth correspondent Keifer MacDonald, joined from Scottish champions Celtic for a compensation price of just £600,000 in 2022, with amazing pace and directness merging with a hard work that pays dividends.
With 11 goals and eight assists for Liverpool’s development sides in only 23 appearances, Doak quickly established himself as one of English football’s most talented youngsters, earning a first-team spot far before the majority of Liverpool’s prodigious academy stars, who have recently gained attention.
Doak, who made five senior appearances last season, was a fixture in Klopp’s squad following the summer break, starting three Europa League games and accomplishing an eye-catching 2.7 dribbles per game, according to Sofascore.
Liverpool’s recent praise has been built on the foundation of Kirkby Academy’s rise, and while Doak has been recovering from knee surgery in December, which will keep him out for the foreseeable future, there is no doubt that he would have played an important role in overcoming Liverpool’s recent injury problems.
