Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha will start in his side's FA Cup clash at Wolves - after Steven Gerrard made it known that the teenager needed to get an opportunity
Rio Ngumoha has kept impressing whenever he's had the opportunity
Rio Ngumoha has kept impressing whenever he's had the opportunity(Image: George Wood, Getty Images)
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Steven Gerrard has got his wish after making it clear that Rio Ngumoha had to start on Friday night against Wolves - with the Liverpool teenager making a rare outing from the beginning.
Ngumoha has enjoyed some breakout moments this season, most notably when he scored in stoppage time to down Newcastle in a five-goal thriller back in August. His quality and potential have been obvious, but he's only been used sporadically by Arne Slot.
The 17-year-old made a substitute cameo against Wolves in midweek, a game that saw the Midlands outfit stun the Reds by securing a late 2-1 win. It dented Liverpool's Champions League hopes but Ngumoha was a rare bright spark.
It left Reds icon Gerrard wanting to see more and, after criticising the output of Cody Gakpo, he made it clear that the teenager needed to start on Friday.
He said on TNT Sports: "For 65 minutes Liverpool were desperate tonight, really poor, didn’t create enough, didn’t play at the right speed or the right tempo, didn’t have enough quality. He has to start Ngumoha now. He has to start him because he’s coming on and he’s doing more in a short cameo in a short space of time than Gakpo’s doing in 65, 70 minutes. ‘He deserves to start now. He’s got to start the kid on Friday night [in the FA Cup ]."
Ngumoha has made 17 appearances this term, but the vast majority of those have been as an impact sub. Now he gets the chance from the start with Liverpool needing to bounce back from their loss just days ago, as they endure the rare scenario of playing at Molineux twice within a week.
Liverpool's below par campaign means that the FA Cup and the Champions League present their only hopes of silverware. Slot is under pressure to deliver a top five finish, but a trophy would also aid his case going forward amid talk he could still lose his job in the summer.
Arne Slot has defended his use of the Liverpool teenager
Arne Slot has defended his use of the Liverpool teenager(Image: (David Rogers/Getty Images))
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Slot also has defended his use of the Liverpool youngster, whose minutes have been at a premium this term. "Let’s be clear, he is a special player that will have more playing time and already has more playing time recently," The Liverpool boss told reporters recently.
"If everyone thinks he is so good, then he should be in something to talk about again. If he is already good enough to play for us, then he should definitely be, in your opinion."
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