Liverpool earned a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest with Rio Ngumoha making the difference.
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has called for Rio Ngumoha to be handed more minutes after his game-changing cameo.
Ngumoha came off the bench to help deliver the Reds a 1-0 smash-and-grab victory over Nottingham Forest. Arne Slot’s side had been largely toothless throughout the City Ground encounter, with wingers Mo Salah and Cody Gakpo struggling throughout.
Ngumoha was introduced with 14 minutes remaining and made a marked difference. The 17-year-old got Liverpool on the front foot and in the 89th minute, stood up a cross for a Hugo Ekitike header that led to an Alexis Mac Allister disallowed goal. Mac Allister then scored in the 97th minute to deliver the Reds all three points and move them level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United.
Ngumoha has made 17 appearances for Liverpool this season but still awaits his full Premier League debut. Posting on X, Sturridge believes that the winger deserves more chances. He said: “Every time I watch Rio Ngumoha, he looks electric. Direct, fearless, always trying to affect the game. He deserves more minutes. Simple as that.”
Sturridge was not the only player impressed by Ngumoha’s cameo. Ex-Manchester United and England defender also lavished praised on the England youth international. Ferdinand said on X: “Top drawer the kid Rio for LFC. Changed the game for them. A winger that wants to beat his man & deliver with a mix of speed & finesse.”
Ngumoha, signed from Chelsea in August 2024, has made steady progress this season, having been around the Liverpool first team throughout. On his improvements, head coach Slot said: “He has incredible potential, otherwise at 17 years of age you don't play as many minutes as he does in the Premier League, let alone at Liverpool. I don't think there's any other 17-year-old that has played so many minutes this season in the Premier League as he did. I don't think there is an 18- or 19-year-old maybe that played so many minutes as he did, but that last thing I'm not 100 per cent sure about. So that tells you how much of a talent he is and we think he is. He's making progress more and more and that's why lately you see him playing more and as well.
“He gets stronger. Apart from his moment where he had that one-v-one, there were also one or two other moments where he showed that he stands his ground. That is, of course, what you need because you face 25-, 26-, 27-, 28-year-old athletes mainly as your opponents. We're a bit of an exception in terms of the age of our group of players, most teams we face have players of different ages and different physicality. For him to show this already at 17 years of age says something about his talent. But as we all know, talent is only the start of a career and you need so many other things, as we've shown today – Macca [is] a great example about mentality. That is something you need to get a career at this level.”
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