Tommy Conway's Ben Doak Liverpool claim as winger gives Boro striker 'what he wants'

TOMMY Conway expects Ben Doak to establish himself as a first team player for Liverpool when he returns to Anfield.

Not that the striker is any rush to see "electric" Doak leave the Riverside - for Conway is loving calling the teenager a teammate for club and country.

Conway, who has himself quickly settled on Teesside since his summer move from Bristol City, has been blown away by the impact Doak has made in such a short space of time at Boro.

The 19-year-old has dazzled in the early stages of his season-long loan move from Liverpool and Conway says he's a joy to play alongside.

"I’ve put my arm around Doakie and looked after him a bit, but he has taken to it here at Boro like a duck to water," said the striker.

"I can’t say enough about him. He’s like what he is on the pitch off it as well - he’s electric. The boy’s always at it. Hopefully we can both take that on to the international stage and cause carnage there.

"When Doakie is dribbling with the ball, going at someone, you just know something’s going to happen. And as a striker myself, that’s what I want. He’s going to chuck in a stepover, get to the byline and put in a cross, which is great for me.

"His pace and skill is there for everyone to see. He’s still a young boy with so much to learn but he has never lacked confidence. He thinks he should start every game for Scotland. As a footballer, you have to think like that."

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Liverpool have a recall clause in January but aren't expected to trigger it, with the Premier League leaders understandably delighted at how Doak's loan move is playing out.

When it was decided in the summer that Doak would go out on loan, Arne Slot and Liverpool's coaches all agreed with in-demand Doak that Boro was the winger's best option. And so far, everyone is benefiting from the temporary switch.

In the long-term, Doak has big Liverpool ambitions - and Conway believes the former Celtic youngster can make his mark at Anfield.

He said:  "He’ll go back to Liverpool thinking he should start and that’s credit to his character. When you have that mentality it’s going to happen. When he eventually goes back there I expect him to get in the team."

Conway and Doak's immediate focus is on Scotland and their games at home to Croatia tonight and away to Poland on Monday.

Doak made quite the impact in the last international get-together and Conway again expects his club teammate to star for Steve Clarke's side.

He said: "You saw it in the last camp. I watched the Croatia game where he gave Gvardiol (Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol) a hard time. When Doakie came back, he joked that he had him in his pocket. That sums him up.

"He started against Croatia and Portugal and was buzzing because they’re top sides. That will definitely stand him in good stead. You can tell Doakie has been around a first-team environment for a long time. He knows how to handle himself in a changing room, which can be hard at times."