Ben Doak has been tipped to maintain his push for more first-team recognition at Liverpool.
The former Celtic youth, who moved south last summer, has already made five appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side in a breakthrough season.
Despite being still just 17, the Scots youngster has earned massive praise for the way he has forced his way into the Reds set-up alongside the likes of Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah.
The teenager has not been involved with the top team since the FA Cup victory over Wolves last month due to an injury.
But two goals and two assists for the under-21s in Saturday’s 7-1 hammering of Leicester City confirmed he is back to his best ahead of Liverpool’s UEFA Youth League last-16 tie with Porto on Wednesday.
Liverpool academy coach Barry Lewtas said: “We work closely with the first-team and our job is to develop the players, put them in an environment where they can flourish.
“And hopefully then, with the support we have from Pep [Lijnders, assistant-manager] and Vitor [Matos, elite development coach] in particular, we are able to move boys across.
“Ben has done ever so well. It’s okay getting an opportunity and earning it but I think Ben has grabbed it and done ever so well.
“So, it’s up to him to maintain that. But he’s a real focused boy and I’m sure that he will do.”
Doak was prominent as Liverpool won their group with five wins from the six in the Champions League path of the UEFA Youth League.
Their fixtures included 4-1 and 4-3 wins over Rangers, with Doak scoring a goal in each game.
Lewtas added: “Ben was a really important player for us in the group stage, away at Napoli to get it going and then when we went down to 10 men against Rangers - and I think there was a bit of extra motivation there for him as well! He was a real threat for us.”
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