Liverpool are back in Champions League action on Wednesday evening, taking on Qarabag at Anfield.
Their last European venture saw the Reds earn a huge 3-0 win over Marseille in France, which looked to be a big turning point in the season.
However, just like that 45 minutes against Arsenal earlier this month when fans were given hope, it proved to be a false dawn.
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Will Liverpool beat Qarabag and qualify for the last-16?
The Azerbaijani's have a poor record against English teams
Qarabag players line up for a squad picture before their UEFA Champions League match against Ajax at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium (Credit: Getty Images/Resul Rehimov/Anadolu).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Resul Rehimov/Anadolu
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Liverpool lost to Bournemouth on Saturday despite the Cherries going into the fixture with just one league win in their last 13.
The Merseyside outfit haven’t picked up three points in the Premier League this year, and talk about replacing Arne Slot has been rife in the days since their last outing.
Rio Ngumoha needs prominent role for Liverpool vs Qarabag
In turn, the Dutchman needs to do something bold that not only helps pick up a positive result, but also gets the fans back on side to some extent.
On that front, he should be looking to hand Rio Ngumoha a key role in Wednesday evening’s fixture.
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The teenager is raw and inexperienced but Liverpool fans have been crying out for Ngumoha to be used more this season, and it’s easy to see why.
Following the sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, Slot lacks any real pace out wide.
He could play Federico Chiesa more, but we know that’s very unlikely to happen.
So, handing Ngumoha, who has clocked a speed of 27.24km/h in the Champions League this term, more minutes would make some sense.
Yes, he’s still unproven and may make the odd mistake, but if Slot can’t get a tune out of his current starters on a regular basis, which he can’t, the manager needs to start looking towards the academy for solutions.
What’s the worst that can happen? He doesn’t play well, and Liverpool fail to improve? That would probably happen anyway, so why not just take the risk that if it works, it could give supporters something to get excited by?
How would you feel if Slot sent this XI out against Qarabag?
Four changes from Saturday…
Liverpool Predicted XI vs Qarabag
Liverpool Predicted XI vs Qarabag
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Liverpool duo know what a huge talent Rio Ngumoha is
It’s not just fans who think the young winger is set for a bright future.
Virgil van Dijk backed Ngumoha for success earlier this season, dubbing the rising talent ‘very special’.
He said: “He’s brave, quick, raw, still only 16-years-old, I think he turns 17 soon but still it’s very special, isn’t it?.
“If you turn it around and think where I was at 16, but that is how things work. We want him to improve, we want him to develop, stay fit and learn from the best and be playing at the highest level
Harvey Elliott has been similarly complimentary of Ngumoha, saying earlier this month: “Rio Ngumoha, I think, being with him, last season and the start of this season, I’m so hoping he can reach the heights we all think he can go to.
“I think he will get the right experience he needs and he’ll be told the right things for sure. If he can nail down those important things outside the pitch his ceiling is really, really high and I’m excited to see how he does.”
Let’s hope Slot does the right thing and gives the rising talent what he needs.
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