Andy Robertson lays down the gauntlet to Rio Ngumoha to fulfill his potential and have the "special career" that might be awaiting him at Liverpool
Rio Ngumoha put in a dazzling display in the win at Wolves
Rio Ngumoha put in a dazzling display in the win at Wolves(Image: Manjit Narotra/ProSports/Shutterstock)
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Andy Robertson says Rio Ngumoha can have a "special career" at Liverpool if he continues to listen to the advice of his more experienced colleagues.
And Robertson, who started on the left side alongside his 17-year-old team-mate, believes the sky is the limit for Ngumoha as he challenged him to build on Friday's performance in the 3-1 win over Wolves in the FA Cup.
Calls have been growing in recent weeks for Ngumoha to be given more minutes under Arne Slot and the electric wideman didn't disappoint on his fourth start of the campaign on Friday, tormenting Wolves all night to help seal a quarter-final place for Liverpool.
Robertson, who broke the deadlock with a sweet strike before supplying Mohamed Salah for the second less than two minutes later, said he asked his colleague to showcase better decision making on the night in the Black Country.
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And the Scotland captain admits he was delighted with how Ngumoha took the demands on board during a blistering cameo that lasted around 70 minutes on the night.
"He's a great kid," Robertson said. "He wants to listen and to learn. Him and Trey [Nyoni] have been with us every single day and they are both special players, but they are also special people in terms of wanting to learn and improve. Credit to their families, you can tell they have been brought up the right way."I said to Rio before the game that I wanted him to focus on his decision-making because at times, he can try and take on the whole team. He is only young and that is the exciting part but his decision-making tonight was unbelievable. "He knew when to go one-vs-one and he knew when to take on his man, go down the line, or cut inside or involve other players. It was a real all-round performance from him. Credit to him. "That was another 70 minutes in his legs and he is only going to get better. If he keeps playing like that, the future is bright, but the here and now is bright as well, and that is all you can ask for from these young lads. He is a credit to himself and hopefully long may that continue."Robertson added: "I wasn't as good as him [at 17], that's for sure!
"Obviously my route was a little bit different. His route has been through the youth systems and then at an early age, coming into the first team."I wasn't in any first team until I was 18 or 19. Everyone has a different route but he is a special player and a special kid. If he keeps making the decisions and things like that like he did tonight, he will have a special career."It takes a certain mindset and this is where these two lads (Ngumoha and Nyoni) and Kieran Morrison, who was excellent when he came on, fit in—we have different lads who have a good mindset, want to be better, and want to improve and do well for this football club. "That is all the manager and everyone else can ask of these lads."
On his goal, which was his second of the campaign, Robertson said: "I'm not sure where it came from!
"Most of them in my Liverpool career have probably gone over the bar, so obviously I just got it out of my feet and it was a good strike. As soon as I hit it, thankfully I knew it was in.
"It was such a crucial time and to go and get the second so quickly after it was so important to try and get through and into the last eight.
"We're now one game away from Wembley and if we perform like we did tonight against whoever, then we have got a chance.
"It's what goals can do and moments in football matches can do. We then get our tails up and the adrenaline of a goal runs through you.
"That's what happened in that five-minute spell and you can put teams to bed in that moment - that is what we were so good at last season and we've not been as good at it this season in terms of when you get on top, staying on top and seeing out the win.
"You go and get the second and the third, and then it is about controlling the game. We did that a lot better today. This season, we have lost a few last-minute goals which isn't like us, and that is what we need to stop from now until the end of the season."