Michael Carrick blown away by Ben Doak as Liverpool winger 'lights everything up'

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has admitted that he has been surprised by Ben Doak during the Scotland international’s loan spell from Liverpool. The 19-year-old has been a revelation on Teesside since joining the Championship outfit on loan back in August.

Scoring on his first start for the club against Stoke City back in September, he returned three assists in Boro’s two outings before the November international break as they recorded 4-1 and 5-1 thrashings of Queens Park Rangers and Luton Town.

The teenager then made headlines as he helped Scotland record back-to-back wins over Croatia and Poland. Doak gave Manchester City star Josko Gvardiol a torrid time in the former to help set up John McGinn’s winner before assisting the Aston Villa midfielder for another goal in the victory in Warsaw.

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Boro currently sit seventh in the Championship table, just a point outside of the play-off places, ahead of their return to league action away at Oxford United on Saturday.

Doak will be looking to maintain his impressive form for the Teessiders, with Manchester United legend Carrick admitting he has been taken aback by the teenager’s rapid rise.

“It’s everything you want,” he told BBC Radio Tees “In terms of the level (he’s reached), it’s very difficult to envision something happening so quickly.

“There’s no getting away from it, Ben’s having a really good time of it at the moment. He’s playing some good football and looking dangerous.

"The opportunity for him to come here and play and be part of the squad - he’s obviously confident. We know his strengths, it’s pretty obvious what he’s good at and he’s taken that on to Scotland as well."

"We're really pleased with him, but for us it doesn’t change anything. It’s a long season so we’re certainly not getting carried away but it’s great to see him thriving at the moment.

"Then obviously going to Scotland and having an impact for them, it’s fantastic for Ben and great for us that he's with us and playing so well.

"We have still got to be careful, he’s still young, we have got to manage him and preparing him for going though the whole season."

Already a fan-favourite on Teeside, it’s not just Carrick who is singing Doak’s praises. Former Boro midfielder Neil Maddison, who is now an academy ambassador and player welfare officer for the club, believes the winger has been the difference as they look to challenge for promotion to the Premier League.

“Ben has been the difference for us, he really has,” he told the Herald. “We've got some good senior players and some young players who are coming through who are doing really well.

“But Doak had just given everyone that bit more belief. The fans absolutely love him. He's a player who excites you and you need them in the Championship. The Premier League have got an abundance of talent.

“In the Championship, though, it's slightly different. You need that top class player to get you where you want to go. Ben is that top class player in my opinion. He always affects the game in the right way. For me, he's been our standout performer, without a shadow of a doubt.”

He continued: “The first thing you notice is that directness. He's really aggressive with the ball. Regardless of who he plays against, he's going to get at them. He's an old-fashioned winger who gets at full-backs, gets past them constantly, delivers balls and causes havoc in the opposition defence.

“He's a bit of a throwback. Back when I played, you had wingers who would run down the line and put in crosses. You knew as a midfielder that if you arrived late in the box then balls would be delivered. Now football is more possession-based and the cross doesn't really come in. Every team tries to find that perfect goal.

“But you know Ben is going to be aggressive, is going to be direct, is going to try and get past that full-back and deliver the ball. That allows you to get bodies into the box. He has been the key addition to the Middlesbrough squad this season. He has just lit everything up. Everyone's talking about him.”