Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp knows that his chances of getting Jack Grealish would be slim at best given how the £100million winger is thriving at Manchester City, but he may not care too much if teenager Ben Doak continues to impress in pre-season.

The Reds manager gave the outstanding academy product another chance, and Doak did not let him down, scoring in a sensational 4-0 hammering of Leicester on Sunday morning.

At halftime, Doak, who is still only 17 years old, took over for the legendary Mohamed Salah, and in the second half, he performed with maturity. They were extremely difficult to complete because the Egyptian had set up two assists for his colleagues Bobby Clark and Darwin Nunez.

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Doak, however, delivered as he scored Liverpool’s fourth goal of the match by powerfully heading the ball past Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

In addition to the goal, the young Scottish winger showed why comparisons have been made with England star Grealish with his direct running and intelligent movement. The fact he was namechecked by Klopp was no coincidence as the 55-year-old hailed the attacking quartet’s ‘special’ performance in the second half.

“We have a lot of options in the areas and the boys need to show up,” Klopp told reporters. “It’s not pressure, it’s just the situation. I think it was clear when we scored three in the first half, but second half, Cody, Dom, Luis and Ben – to be honest, that was pretty special.”

The enthusiasm surrounding the teenager’s progression from the youth team to the periphery of the first-team squad since his arrival from Celtic last summer is palpable. There is no doubt that he is a raw talent, but Klopp’s nurturing style should enable him to develop into a wonderful player, and similarly, Doak’s pace and work ethic will enable him to fit into his plans with ease.

Part of the plan could be utilising his energy to mould him into a hybrid role, which Grealish has embraced at City as the wide left player in Pep Guardiola’s 3-2-4-1 formation. Klopp experimented with a similar system last season and although they played a 4-2-3-1 against Leicester, that tactical variety could be key for Klopp, who clearly admires his talents.

“Ben Doak, obviously nice signs, he’s with us in training again,” said Klopp earlier this summer, as quoted by the Daily Record.

“[He is a] special boy, really confident, has something nobody else delivers really. This kind of dribbling, this kind of straight-forward bravery… all these kind of things.”

Grealish barely appeared in his goal against Leicester. It rather demonstrated Doak’s superb anticipation in the last third. All eyes were on the ball when the in-swinging delivery was whipped in, but Doak saw the opening to run into and bet that the ball would come his way, and it did.

In this instance, Liverpool’s set-piece coaches deserve praise. It could have been a well-established routine. If, though, the player was merely acting instinctively, it reveals the precise justification for Klopp’s willingness to offer the adolescent a wider part in his team during preseason.

Due to the fierce rivalry for positions, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo started the game on the bench, but that might change as the new season draws near. If a young player exceeds expectations, Klopp has a history of giving them a chance to shine, especially in domestic cup competitions.

Doak definitely accomplished that against Leicester, and with additional opportunities to shine against Bayern Munich and Darmstadt before their preseason campaign comes to an end, he may be able to influence the German’s decision.