Ian Doyle puts the spotlight on Rio Ngumoha after the teenager scored a dramatic winner for Liverpool at Newcastle
Ian Doyle has covered Liverpool for more than 20 years, following them across Europe in multiple Champions League and Europa League finals and as far afield as Thailand, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong and Qatar, and has reported on the Reds winning every major honour. He previously also covered Everton for 18 years and followed England, reporting on the European Championships and World Cup final. Once had to tell Jude Law he does not drive a Mini.
Rio Ngumoha interacts with Arne Slot following the team's victory in the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James' Park on August 25, 2025
(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Talk about an early birthday present. Whatever Rio Ngumoha goes on to achieve in his career, it will take something special to prove more dramatic or unexpected than this remarkable introduction to life as a Premier League player.
With Liverpool having carelessly chucked away a two-goal lead at 10-man Newcastle United, Arne Slot gambled by throwing on Ngumoha along with Harvey Elliott.
It said much about the incessant set-piece pressure the home side continued to inflict on Liverpool that Ngumoha had to loiter for some time before finally being introduced six minutes into a manic additional period. And as the youngster has already shown since joining the Reds from Chelsea a year ago, he doesn’t waste any time in making an impression.
Ngumoha, who turns 17 on Friday, had already roused the away fans housed in the St James' Park rafters with one strong run down the left flank when his moment arrived just four minutes into his Premier League career.
As Liverpool broke forward, Mohamed Salah played a ball low across the area that Dominik Szoboszlai cleverly dummied to invite Ngumoha to apply the finishing touch.
He didn’t think twice, striking a first-time shot with his right foot into the bottom corner to leave Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope standing and send the travelling support into a frenzy, the winger racing towards the corner flag before being engulfed by team-mates who were both delighted for the teenager and relieved their young team-mate had dug them out of a hole entirely of their own making.
If Ngumoha’s performances within the Liverpool youth ranks had already seen him make a senior start in the FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley in January, it was during pre-season when he truly captured the attention by more than holding his own among the seniors. Now he is the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer, replacing Ben Woodburn.
After the final whistle, and with the Liverpool support chanting his name, Ngumoha had to be given a friendly shove by Reds boss Slot to step forward and take the acclaim.
The only other 16-year-old to score a winning goal in a Premier League game? Wayne Rooney, who was actually one day older than the Liverpool youngster when famously notching against Arsenal for Everton in October 2002.
Ngumoha has already been the talk of Academy football for several years. Now, though, the wider world are going to have to remember the name. What a night.