Interview'Every game excites me' – no looking back for returning Ben Doak

The 2022 signing from Celtic featured five times for the Reds in the opening half of last season – including four starts – but his progress was harshly halted by a lateral meniscus tear before Christmas that needed surgery.

Doak had to withdraw from Scotland duty for Euro 2024 in the summer, too, but is now amongst it once more as Arne Slot’s Liverpool prime for the new campaign.

Liverpoolfc.com caught up with the 18-year-old in South Carolina, where Slot’s men face Manchester United on Saturday night to conclude their USA tour.

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Doak provided insight on the hard work being overseen by the new head coach, his personal development and condition, and more.

Read a summary of the chat below…

On the intense work done during the tour in the USA…

Of course, it’s tough. The schedule is really good and really tough. We’re pretty much at it all day every day, so it’s just up to us as players to recover well and make sure we can go at it every morning.

On the changes he has picked up in Slot’s approach so far…

To be honest, he’s very similar to [Jürgen] Klopp in terms of similar ideas, but the style of play is a little bit different. He is very demanding, he wants everything to be as close to perfect as possible. That’s good for us as players because it helps us get better. Even if we don’t like it at times, he’ll tell us what we don’t want to hear.

On trying to reach his peak fitness in time for the new season…

Definitely. Obviously I was injured for so long, so coming back at possibly the toughest part of the year physically, I don’t see much better preparation for the new season than that.

On whether he feels he has developed at Liverpool over the last 12 months…

Of course, I feel like that’s only natural. I feel like a lot of the lads can say that as well. You could say everyone who has been around for as long as I have has pretty much got twice as good as a player.

On trying to ‘make up for lost time’ after being out injured long term last season…

I wouldn’t say lost time, who knows if I would have played? Obviously in my mind I’d like to think that I would have. But I can’t look back at last season because it’s last season, I need to look at this season and just try to get as many appearances on the board as possible.

On the excitement for Saturday’s clash with Manchester United in front of a sold-out crowd in South Carolina...

Yeah, of course, but every game really excites me. The size of the crowd or the team doesn’t really change anything, football is football – it’s 22 people and a ball. I’m just excited to get back out there again and play against anyone, to be honest.