WHEN Ben Doak emerged from the Middlesbrough dressing room on Saturday evening to speak to the media, he had an ice pack strapped to his right knee.

After the thrill of what had gone before came concern but worries were quickly eased. It was nothing to worry about and instead a case of Boro and Doak just being extra careful to ensure there was no painful after-effects following a "little knock".

"I'm just looking after myself and making sure I can play in the next game and the one after that and the one after that," said Doak, the star of the show as Boro got back to winning ways against Stoke City.

And there is an insight into the ambitions and confidence of the Liverpool loanee. He's only 18 and has not yet reached double figures in senior league appearances but he's not at Boro to learn from the fringes or for cameos from the bench. He's here to play. And on the evidence of Saturday, he'll be playing plenty.

After a couple of weeks of one-paced and predictable attacking football, in came Doak for his first start and gave Boro exactly what they've been crying out for: spark, excitement, creativity and, crucially, final product. For it was the winger who was on hand to tap in the opener that set Boro on their way against the Potters.

"He showed what he's all about," said head coach Michael Carrick.

“He’s young, but if you’re good enough you’re old enough. He hasn’t played an awful lot of football but he’s got character and personality and when he’s come on he’s proven really eager to have an impact and develop. I wasn’t surprised today because we kind of expected that from him. We’re really excited to see what he can do from here while with us."

It's worth stopping here to think back to Boro's best recent Championship campaigns and considering a common theme.

In 2014/15, the year Boro lost to Norwich in the play-off final, there was Patrick Bamford. The following year, when Aitor Karanka's side went up, there was Gaston Ramirez. Two seasons ago, when Michael Carrick's side came up just short, there was Cameron Archer, Ryan Giles, Aaron Ramsey and Zack Steffen.

Premier League loan signings can be game-changers in the Championship and Doak offered a first real glimpse on Saturday as to why several second tier sides wanted to sign the highly-rated Anfield talent in the summer.

Boro didn't really focus on loan signings in the summer and their impressive business looked to be done ahead of the final hours of deadline day. But Carrick had told Kieran Scott and the recruitment team early in the summer that he'd love to have Doak in his Riverside ranks, so when the opportunity presented itself late in the window, Boro pounced.

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There's an old-school element to Doak's wing-play: head down, beat a man, get the cross or shot away. And there's a fearlessness that has fans wriggling to the edge of their seat in anticipation and opposition full-backs anxiously backtracking.

And for Carrick, there's a balance. Obviously he wants to coach and improve the winger, who must fit into Boro's framework, but he also understands the importance of letting Doak do his thing.

He said: “The way I try and put the team out, there is a structure and things we try and implement, but there is definitely room for individualism within that - playing to each other’s strengths."

There was a much better balance to Boro on Saturday. Riley McGree underlined his importance with an excellent return to the side and Carrick was keen to point out that the left sided duo of McGree and Neto Borges played their part in stretching Stoke and giving Doak space to exploit.

And in the middle, Hayden Hackney was back to his best. His second half goal to wrap up the points was brilliant midfield play, a driving run followed by a sublime finish. It secured a victory Boro deserved.