Ben Doak has just managed something no other player in England has

December 3, 2024
Jack Lusby

Ben Doak continued his excellent form on loan at Middlesbrough with two assists in their 3-1 win over Hull on Saturday, making it six in the month of November.

The Liverpool winger has been one of the standout players of this season’s Championship so far, settling into a key role on the right of Boro’s attack.

Saturday brought one of Doak’s best performances yet as he set up two goals for Scotland teammate Tommy Conway on the way to a 3-1 victory at home to Hull.

It raised his tally to six assists in his last five Championship games, all coming in November, which was more than any other player in England’s top four tiers last month.

The only game in which he failed to assist during that time was in Boro’s only defeat – a 1-0 loss to Blackburn – setting up goals against QPR, Luton (two), Oxford United and Hull (two).

Ben Doak might have to be in your GW18 team…??

In his last 5? @SkyBetChamp games:

?6? Assists ??????
?17 Key Passes ?
? More assists than any other player in England’s top four tiers in November ?

Utter Doak nonsense. #FEFL | @Boro pic.twitter.com/pG8HQXTWvj

— Fantasy EFL (@FEFLOfficial) December 1, 2024

Doak’s overall record stands at one goal and six assists in 13 appearances so far for Michael Carrick’s side, averaging a goal contribution every 132.9 minutes.

That means the 19-year-old is either scoring or assisting every game-and-a-half on loan, with FBref showing that he averages 5.55 shot-creating actions per 90.

• READ: “Game-changer” – Inside view of Ben Doak’s loan so far

He is in the top two percent for assists per 90 across Europe’s top 15 leagues, with 0.49, while he is in the top one percent for progressive carries (8.57), touches in the opposition’s box (8.08) and progressive passes received (15.49) per 90.

Interestingly, Doak is comparing favourably with Johan Bakayoko, the 21-year-old PSV Eindhoven right winger who has been touted as a possible target for Liverpool.

Elsewhere over the weekend, Owen Beck made his first start back after suspension as Blackburn beat Leeds 1-0, playing the full 90 minutes as a left winger.

Luca Stephenson kept up his ever-present record for Dundee United in their 2-0 win over St Mirren, while Rhys Williams helped hold a clean sheet in Morecambe’s 1-0 win over Bradford.

Lewis Koumas came off the bench as Stoke lost 2-0 to Burnley and Stefan Bajcetic was an early substitute in Salzburg’s 1-1 draw with TSV Hartberg.

Finally, Giorgi Mamardashvili made his 13th consecutive LaLiga start for Valencia but could not deny Mallorca in a 2-1 defeat which leaves his side 19th – albeit with up to two games in hand.