Liverpool fans have been rejoicing as we saw the like of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, Stefan Bajcetic and Alisson Becker back in training but they weren’t the only ones.

Taking to his Instagram account, Ben Doak uploaded an image of himself back on the grass alongside a caption of: ‘Almost’.

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It’s a great boost to be able to have the Scot back in the squad, as it could add for some respite for the attacking players in Europa League competition.

It’s unlikely we’ll see much of the teenager in the Premier League but he should be given some minutes, if able to play again in the coming weeks.

You can view the image of Doak via his Instagram account:

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Liverpool fans will be well aware that the season is edging towards a dramatic close and Paul Joyce has provided an injury update on Ben Doak.

Writing for The Times, the northern football correspondent wrote: ‘Longer term, Alisson, Thiago Alcântara and Ben Doak remain sidelined. Joël Matip’s season is over.’

It seems that it’s rather unlikely we will see Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip again this season but with Jurgen Klopp confirming Alisson Becker is around three weeks from returning – the young Scot could feature again in this campaign.

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It looked like the introduction of Europa League football this year could help the former Celtic winger stamp his mark on our side but injury has snatched this chance away from him.

In a year where ‘Klopp’s Kids’ have been so integral to our success, the fact that the teenage youth international (and Stefan Bajcetic) has been almost non-existent this season – is as much of a huge shame for him as it is a shock to supporters.

The Scot will be looking towards the future now but with a chance of more football in the final weeks, his impact could be felt in a massive moment.

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It’s a real shame to have had some long-term fitness concerns this season but the future is certainly bright for so many academy graduates from Kirkby.

Fingers crossed we only see the attendees in the treatment room deplete in numbers, before our German manager says goodbye for a final time.

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Liverpool fans will be very aware that we have a lengthy injury list at the moment and so news of one player nearing a return can only be viewed as a positive.

Taking to his Instagram, Ben Doak posted an image of himself in action for the Reds along with the caption: ‘’.

It seems that the Scot isn’t yet back training but has been handed some positive news that his return to action isn’t too far away.

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With Mo Salah at AFCON, the prospect of another attacking option can only be viewed as a big plus and let’s hope it’s sooner rather than later that we see the youngster back on the pitch.

One man who will be happier than most is Jurgen Klopp who said (via liverpoolfc.com): “He had these minutes with us, had a real impact, Europa League and stuff like this” about his player in the past.

You can view the post via Doak’s Instagram stories:

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Amid reports in recent days of Liverpool potentially recalling Fabio Carvalho from his loan spell at RB Leipzig, two things which came to light on Tuesday may have pushed the Reds towards a decision on the player.

With the 21-year-old struggling for game-time in Germany, LFC assistant manager Pep Lijnders urged the club’s hierarchy to ‘find the best solution for him’ so that the youngster can get the minutes that he needs.

The Dutchman also revealed in the same press conference that Ben Doak will require surgery on a knee injury, realistically ruling out the teenager for the rest of this season.

A few hours later, Carvalho had to be content with a mere 12 minutes off the bench in Leipzig’s 1-1 draw away to Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga (Sofascore).

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If Liverpool hadn’t been certain on whether or not to recall the midfielder/winger from his loan spell in Germany, their mind might well be made up after yesterday’s events.

Carvalho’s cameo against Bremen was his season in microcosm, reduced to a peripheral role and making just a solitary Bundesliga start as the campaign pauses for its winter break. Of his 15 appearances, only one has seen him play for a full 90 minutes (Transfermarkt).

Back at his parent club, Doak’s injury blow leaves no natural right-sided attacking alternative for Mo Salah, who’ll be jetting off to the Africa Cup of Nations next month.

The likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Harvey Elliott could possibly deputise in that role during the Egyptian’s absence (Transfermarkt), but Carvalho is arguably a more natural fit, and even having him as a squad player once the 31-year-old is back on Merseyside would be helpful in terms of depth for Jurgen Klopp.

The ex-Fulham youngster still has plenty to prove if he wants to nail down a regular place at Liverpool, but it’s become abundant clear that his loan move to Leipzig isn’t really doing anyone any favours, and having him back at Anfield – even just for January – would be far more beneficial.

The Reds simply must pull the plug on his time in Germany, especially with the Bundesliga now on hiatus until the middle of next month.

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Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has confirmed news of a major injury blow to Reds youngster Ben Doak.

The 40-year-old addressed the media this afternoon ahead of the Carabao Cup clash against West Ham on Wednesday night when he told reporters that the teenage forward will require surgery on a knee injury.

As per Liverpool Echo, Jurgen Klopp’s right-hand man said of the 18-year-old’s body blow: “That’s not a good one. He teared his lateral meniscus, which needs surgery. That one will take [a] longer time.

“He is young, he is a fit guy, he is a positive guy so for sure he will come back stronger, and we need him to come back with the same fire he has with the ball, how he was. He can take time and we will wait for him.”

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This is a devastating blow for Doak, who’d made such promising strides with Liverpool’s first team since the summer, being given five senior appearances this season before his injury setback.

It’s yet another casualty to add to the worryingly top-heavy list of players who are unavailable for the Reds as the unforgiving pre-Christmas fixture schedule takes a further toll.

While there was better news on Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota (LFC official website), it’s gutting to hear of the teenage forward being set for an extended period on the sidelines due to the need for surgery.

It’s never welcome to hear of any player being hit with such a hammer blow, and it’s especially sad for it to happen to a promising youngster whose progress has suddenly been halted in its tracks, with a long road to recovery ahead.

Everyone at Empire of the Kop would like to wish Ben Doak the very best with his upcoming operation, and his comeback will be fantastic to see whenever it happens.

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It wasn’t the best 45 minutes for a young Liverpool side in the Europa League but there were some noteworthy moments to recall, including one from Ben Doak.

Luke Chambers played a hopeful ball over the top to the former Celtic youngster, who showed off his impressive pace and strength in the race he had no right to win.

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The Scot managed to get in front of his man and in what seemed like an effort to fire the ball out for a throw-in, it instead rebounded off the corner flag and stayed on the pitch.

It’s probably something the 18-year-old couldn’t do again with such force, if he tried 100 times.

You can watch the clip of Doak courtesy of TNT Sports:

pic.twitter.com/IhexuKQLyW

— Opta King (@OptaKing) December 14, 2023

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It’s fair to say that all Reds fans are excited about what the future holds for Jurgen Klopp’s ‘Liverpool 2.0’ side.

The Anfield outfit have started the campaign strongly on all fronts and there are plenty of reasons for optimism on the red half of Merseyside at the moment.

One player in particular who Kopites are seeing a bit more of this season, in cup competitions in particular, is youngster Ben Doak.

The Scotland youth international was signed from Celtic last summer and has impressed on the few occasions he’s been handed a chance by Klopp – and journalist Peter Martin has told the Glasgow-based outfit they made a mistake by letting the teenager go so easily.

“He’s been one of those players that, again, Celtic should have really pushed the boat out,” Martin told PLZ Soccer (via The Boot Room). “They gave him a sniff and then weren’t prepared to actually tie him down.

“I think the boy had options and I think they missed a trick with him because he could have been one of those players that they would have saved buying a Yang for.”

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The 18-year-old made a total of five senior appearances across all competitions last term and has already made four outings this season.

He may only be a youngster, but the Scostman plays without any fear and is a real livewire on the right flank.

The Dalry-born talent, who Klopp has previously labelled as ‘special’ (as quoted by Glasgow Live), made a couple of senior appearances for Celtic but couldn’t turn down a move to the Premier League when Liverpool came calling.

There’s plenty more to come from Doak in a red shirt and we look forward to seeing him continue to develop under our German tactician.

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Liverpool currently find themselves 1-0 down against Toulouse in France and are yet to test Guillaume Restes between the sticks.

The only real effort of note for Jurgen Klopp’s side came at 0-0 with Alexis Mac Allister’s powerful effort deflected over the bar after the ball fell to the Argentine in the area following superb work from Ben Doak down the right flank.

The 17-year-old, who is making his third start of the campaign, showed his pace to get on the ball before turning the Toulouse defender inside out as he progressed into the area.

The Scotland youth international then showed composure to play the ball to Cody Gakpo who then found Joe Gomez.

Our No. 2, who is wearing the armband tonight, then delivered a cross which eventually fell to Mac Allister who struck well but was blocked well.

Doak will be eager to impress once again ahead of his 18th birthday on Saturday. He and his teammates have a job on their hands to get themselves back level.

Check his impressive show of skill and pace below courtesy of TNT Sports (via @KeiLFC8 on X).

Ben Doak cooking pic.twitter.com/ZRe0ZsBjdi

— K (@KeiLFC8) November 9, 2023

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Liverpool have used the Europa League campaign as a way to rotate the squad a little and one man has timed an injury return to perfection, ahead of the next European clash.

Jurgen Klopp confirmed ahead of the Merseyside derby that Ben Doak was injured but we may soon see a return to action for him.

READ MORE: Kelleher eyes Europa League progression ahead of possible group qualification

Given the likelihood that the only game time the Scot will be handed being minutes in cup competitions this season, it’s certainly a timely return.

Being an unused substitute against Luton showed that the 17-year-old was close to a full return and we may well see this against Toulouse.

You can view the image of Doak in training via liverpoolfc.com:

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Jurgen Klopp has confirmed numerous Liverpool injury absences for the Merseyside derby against Everton on Saturday.

The big news from Friday afternoon’s press conference was that Andy Robertson will go for surgery on a shoulder injury, which realistically means he won’t play again this side of January, and the Scot isn’t the only Reds player who’ll have to watch on from afar tomorrow.

The LFC manager told reporters today (via Liverpool Echo) that Stefan Bajcetic, Thiago Alcantara and Ben Doak are all confirmed absentees for the game at Anfield, with an update of wait-and-see on Cody Gakpo, who’s trained once with the team in the run-up to the weekend’s fixture.

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While Robertson is the only one of the confirmed absentees who, prior to the international break, would’ve been likely to start for Liverpool tomorrow, the others would all have been valuable options to have in reserve for the visit of Everton.

Klopp’s options had already been depleted by the suspension handed down to Curtis Jones, who also misses the Nottingham Forest game next weekend, so to be deprived of two other midfielders in Bajcetic and Thiago is far from ideal.

Their absences are all the more galling in a week where Alexis Mac Allister was playing a World Cup qualifier in Peru at 3am GMT on Wednesday, but luckily the Reds managed to get their South American players back much quicker this time than after September’s international window.

With that in mind, and Klopp coy on whether Gakpo will be able to feature tomorrow, we can expect to see Darwin Nunez leading the line, especially with the Uruguayan buoyed by scoring twice for his country in recent days.

There could well be some inexperienced names among the Liverpool substitutes on Saturday, but we’ve full trust that the manager will find a way to field a starting XI which’ll still be strong enough to maintain our 100% record at home so far this season.

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Charlie Adam believes that one Liverpool youngster isn’t far away from being given a senior international debut.

Following Scotland’s qualification for Euro 2024 with two matches to spare, there have been calls for Ben Doak to be included in Steve Clarke’s squad for those games next month, having looked very impressive for his club since the summer.

The former Anfield midfielder believes that the 17-year-old’s cause has been helped by the profile of playing for a club of LFC’s stature and wouldn’t be shocked to see him getting the call-up in November.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport, Adam said of the teenager: “Everybody at Liverpool loves him. He is energetic. He’s direct and it’s only a matter of time before Steve will pick him. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in the squad. If he wasn’t playing for Liverpool, would he be in the squad?”

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It shows just how much Doak has caught the eye that, after just eight senior appearances for Liverpool amounting to just under 200 minutes (Transfermarkt), he’s been talked up as a possible debutant for a Scotland team who were among the first seven nations to qualify for Euro 2024.

Clarke’s side having already secured their place at the finals might give the 60-year-old the luxury of experimentation for the November double header, with a view to seeing if any wildcards can burst through to put their hand up for a seat on the plane to Germany next summer.

Whether he believes the Anfield youngster is ready for a senior debut in a month’s time is another matter, but the 17-year-old hasn’t looked out of place among Jurgen Klopp’s side when he’s featured in recent weeks.

If Doak wins a first senior Scotland cap against either Georgia or Norway, it’d cap a phenomenal 2023 for a gifted young footballer with an incredibly high ceiling.

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Liverpool youngster Ben Doak has revealed the advice he’s been receiving from senior figures at the club such as Andy Robertson and Mo Salah as he continues to bed-in to Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad.

The 17-year-old has made three appearances for the Reds so far this term and has impressed one each occasion with his direct, energetic and pacy style of play.

The former Celtic prospect has admitted that waiting for opportunities with the first team ‘can get frustrating’ but he’s eager to remain grounded and keep putting the work in on the training pitch.

“My family are good,” Doak said (as quoted by The Herald) with his grandad Martin, a former professional at Morton, a big influence. “They bring me right back down to earth. And the older players at Liverpool, like Robbo [Andy Robertson] and Mo Salah, quickly remind me, ‘Listen you’re only 17, you’ve not done anything yet, keep grounded and keep working hard’.

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“My first few months when I was in and around it a lot, it was a bit “oh my god, that’s Mo Salah, that’s Andy Robertson. I was starstruck, but I settled in really quickly. They’re all really good. They’re all just normal lads.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunities — much more than last season. I’m really enjoying myself when I get an opportunity but, at the same time, it can get frustrating because I’m not playing as often as I’m used to with the youth teams. I’ve just got to bide my time, but my time is coming. I’ve just got to stay patient. I have a good support group around me and they keep me grounded.”

There’s no doubt that the teenager has a very bright future ahead of him on Merseyside and it’s clear that Klopp is a huge fan of the winger.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss appears eager to give the Scotsman minutes whenever possible but ahead of Doak in the pecking order is Salah – arguably the Premier League’s greatest ever winger.

Our No. 50 will benefit from training alongside the Egyptian King – and our other world-class attacking options – and there’s no need to rush the Scotland U21 international into the side even if he has got bags of potential.

We look forward to seeing him shine when given the chance and it’s great to see he’s being well looked after in the senior squad.

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Ben Doak has already made a number of appearances for Liverpool’s first team and a call up for the senior Scotland squad may only be around the corner if he continues to perform excellently.

The 17-year-old started for his nation’s U21 side against Hungary on Friday night and wreaked havoc amongst the opposition defence with his relentless dribbling and direct style of play.

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He earned the Tartan Army a penalty in the first half which he calmly dispatched to put them 3-0 up and despite his small frame showcased his ability to hold the ball up and bring his teammates into the game.

Klopp will have been delighted with the teenager’s performance and let’s hope he has plenty more chances to shine in a red shirt this season.

Check out his lively performance below via @LFCTransferRoom on X:

Ben Doak is playing at another level. Look how quick, how smooth, how easy he finds it to take on players.

: @1947production pic.twitter.com/YMLqhmpQqi

— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) October 14, 2023

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Ben Doak was handed the start for Scotland Under-21s against Hungary and rewarded manager Billy Stark with another brilliant performance and a key involvement for one goal in the game.

After a great start from the young Scots, the 17-year-old was found on the right wing where he proceeded to drive into the opposition box and skip past one defender.

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With another rushing in on him, the former Celtic teenager then dropped his shoulder again before being hacked down inside the box for a stone wall penalty.

Taking the responsibility himself, our No.50 rolled the ball into the bottom left corner and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way whilst he did so.

You can watch the foul on Doak (from 41:33) and his goal (from 42:45) via Scotland National Team on YouTube:

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Dean Jones has made a confident prediction regarding Ben Doak at Liverpool.

The 17-year-old has already forged his way into Jurgen Klopp’s first-team squad at Anfield, starting two matches over the past fortnight and being one of the stars of pre-season for the Reds.

The Scottish teenager is currently the natural right-sided understudy to Mo Salah in LFC’s attack and will hope to one day step into the void whenever the Egyptian departs – something which could’ve happened already considering the strong interest in him from Saudi Arabia.

Jones believes that Liverpool mightn’t need to spend big on bringing in a replacement for the 31-year-old when he leaves, as they could already have one in Doak.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: “To understand for themselves whether they’re going to need to into the market and sign a premium attacker or if they already have one here at their fingertips… I think that honestly, he [Doak] could actually go and do it, especially as Liverpool do already have a cast of forwards that they could lean on to rotate with him.

“I know that there aren’t necessarily obvious candidates to be Mohamed Salah, but even Dominik Szoboszlai can go out onto the right side if needed. I think Doak should be made to feel like he can have a bigger role at Liverpool once Salah goes.”

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It’s quite the backing by Jones to suggest that the 17-year-old is capable of stepping up to be Salah’s long-term successor at Liverpool.

Players come and go in football, but few will be harder to replace than the Egyptian, who’s blasted his way into the top five all-time leading goalscorers in Anfield history and displayed an incredible consistency which has seen him net at least 23 goals in each of his six full season at the club (Transfermarkt).

He’s currently on a 13-match sequence in which he’s either scored himself or provided an assist, proving to be one of the most reliable attackers in the world.

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However, it’s a testament to how well Doak has performed in his embryonic career that he’s been backed to fill the Salah void when the time comes to do so. The young Scot has shown vast confidence in his first-team outings thus far, displaying an ability to take on opponents and leave them for dead with his searing pace.

If he does prove capable of stepping up to become a first-team stalwart at Anfield, he could save Liverpool millions in the transfer market.

It’s asking quite a lot of him to be the Egyptian’s long-term successor, and we don’t want to burden him with such a mammoth challenge too early, but that he’s even been regarded in that conversation shows the scale of the potential within the teenager’s locker.

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