Jake Cain: Newport County perfect to learn the Liverpool way

The 20-year-old from Wigan is spending the season at Rodney Parade on loan from the Reds.

The midfielder impressed for Liverpool’s age-grade teams, made a first team debut against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup two years ago and regularly trained with Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

But now he is getting a first proper taste of senior football in the notoriously uncompromising League Two. Cain is grafting hard but it isn’t a case of out of sight, out of mind.

“I keep in contact with Liverpool. I’ve had a few visits and keep in touch with the staff, so that’s good,” he said.

“Newport suit my style of play and even though I have come from Liverpool, the philosophy is quite similar with the pressing and the passing.

“It suits me but whatever game style we are going to play, I will adapt to it.”

Jake Cain on the ball for County

It is a move that suits everybody – Cain is learning, Liverpool get to see his progress and County get a quality player.

The ball-playing midfielder will go from Scunthorpe away last weekend, to Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road on Tuesday to Barrow at home on Saturday.

“It’s a massive learning curve. Under-23s games aren’t as intense and physical as this,” he said.

“I am learning every game, it was another test at Scunthorpe but thankfully I came through it. It’s a lot different and I have needed it as part of my development.

“I am really happy to be here, I am enjoying it and learning a lot from all the lads and the staff.

“It’s a lot tougher and I needed to build up my strength, playing against different styles. It is good for my development.”

Cain spent much of the first half of the campaign making cameos but started the first two games of the James Rowberry era and has returned to the XI in the last three fixtures.

The Exiles have recently gone with a midfield four of stalwart Scot Bennett behind the young loan trio of Cain, Swansea’s Ollie Cooper and Aston Villa’s Finn Azaz.

The bright prospects play with energy without the ball – “it’s about winning tackles and races” – while being sparks in attack.

TALENT: Liverpool's Jake Cain is learning with County

“The manager trusts us and that’s a good thing, it helps us all to develop. We work well together and hopefully we can keep it up,” said Cain, who whipped in the free-kick for Courtney Baker-Richardson’s winner at Scunthorpe.

“I’ve been on the bench a few times and come on but I was ready for a start and I am pleased the gaffer trusted me, so hopefully that will continue.”

But the return to fitness of midfielder Robbie Willmott, one of County’s players of the season so far, means the youngsters are kept on their toes.

“We’ve got a really strong squad with top players in the team, so it’s a fight for a place,” said Cain. “Everyone trains hard to get a shirt for Tuesday and then the weekend.

“In training we have shown that we have other gears in us. We have still not shown our best yet so we will just keep working. It is clicking for us but we can still improve.

County have climbed to fifth in the table, three points back on third, but face a test of their promotion credentials at Orient.

“It was a tough game when we played them at home and I am sure it will be the same away,” said Cain.

“Harry Smith is a big player for them and has scored a lot of goals but we have had two clean sheets in a row, so confidence is sky high and we are looking forward to the challenge.”