Middlesbrough must be thankful Southampton or Leicester City didn't win Liverpool race | OneFootball

Ben Doak is shining at The Riverside Stadium

The 2024/25 Championship feels like one that has rather swung one way then the other for Middlesbrough.

Across the 14 league games they have played so far, they have drawn just three, with six wins and five defeats.

Indeed, they have only won back to back once, while equally, they have only lost two consecutive games on one occasion as well.

As a result, there does feel like there has been something of a lack of consistency for Michael Carrick's side since the start of the campaign.

However, one constant for Middlesbrough in recent months, from an individual perspective at least, has been the form of Ben Doak.

Liverpool loanee excelling at The Riverside

Back on the final day of the summer transfer window, 'Boro completed the signing of Ben Doak on a season-long loan from Liverpool.

The 18-year-old arrived having previously looked an exciting prospect during a handful of appearances for both the Reds, and previously Scottish giants Celtic.

Since then, Doak has certainly lived up to expectations, and after coming off the bench for his first two appearances, now looks to have made a starting spot very much his own.

The winger has started seven of the last eight games Middlesbrough have played, and has made some big contributions in that time.

His first start saw him open the scoring in a 2-0 win over Stoke City, and since then, his rapid pace and trickery down the right-hand side has made him a major problem for opposition defences.

That was again highlighted on Tuesday night, when the teenager produced a brilliant, jinking run to the byline, before pulling the ball back to Riley McGree to open the scoring in a 4-1 win at QPR.

It was another performance that showed just how important Doak has become to Middlesbrough in such a short space of time.

As a result, those at The Riverside will be hugely relieved that things did not play out differently when it came to the 18-year-old's future, in the summer transfer window.

Middlesbrough beat Premier League duo to Ben Doak

While they may ultimately have been the ones to sign him on loan in the summer, 'Boro were not the only club to have been linked with the winger in that period.

According to reports during the summer, both Leicester City and Southampton were interested in signing Doak from Liverpool.

Given the pair had both won promotion to the Premier League at the end of last season, either could have been an appealing destination for the winger.

It would have given him the chance to experience regular football at top-flight level, and show what he can do to stake a claim for a place in the side to those watching on at Anfield.

Indeed, Liverpool themselves may have been tempted to sanction such a move, given it would have allowed them that chance to see just what Doak can do in the Premier League.

As a result, Middlesbrough will likely have felt they did especially well to persuade those two parties to sanction a move to the Championship for this season for the winger.

Now, with the performances he is producing, the fact they were able to do that will be a huge relief, given he could be vital to any hopes Carrick's side have of winning promotion this season.

Middlesbrough will surely be grateful for.