After he burst onto the scene with a brilliant goal and a stellar performance on Saturday, Rio Ngumoha has rightfully taken the headlines from Liverpool’s vital 2-0 win over Fulham.
However, while the 17-year-old was undoubtedly the Reds’ biggest positive of the day, he was far from being the only one.
As Liverpool look ahead to Tuesday’s massive clash with Paris Saint-Germain, Arne Slot‘s decision to rest Hugo Ekitike for the full 90 minutes on Saturday could be even more of a boost to their chances of making an unlikely comeback.
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Rio Ngumoha celebrates after scoring for Liverpool during their Premier League match against Fulham at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/ANDY BUCHANAN /AFP).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Andy Buchanan/AFP
Ekitike badly needed a rest against Fulham
Having looked much more lively during Saturday’s match than he has of late, Mohamed Salah showed the benefits that a rest can have at this stage of the season.
And after playing poorly in Paris on Wednesday, Ekitike has looked as much in need of a break as anyone recently.
While Alexander Isak was injured, the Frenchman was needed in nearly every game for Liverpool. To his credit he mainly stepped up, but things look to have caught up with him, culminating in a completely ineffective display at the Parc des Princes.
With Isak not yet ready to start, Liverpool will be badly relying on Ekitike to pose a goal threat on Tuesday.
Paris Saint-Germain FC v Liverpool FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg
Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images
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Had he played again on Saturday, that would have been less likely to happen. Perhaps mentally more than anything, Ekitike just looked like he needed some time off.
Slot could easily have brought the 23-year-old on towards the end of the game as he shuffled his pack, but his decision to leave him on the bench was a clear nod towards what is needed on Tuesday, and will hopefully mean Ekitike is fit, rested and hungry to show a better version of himself in midweek.
Ekitike will be key to PSG turnaround
Though the focus will now, understandably, land on Ngumoha ahead of Tuesday, it feels unlikely that Slot will throw the youngster into his front three to face PSG.
Instead, the Dutchman will be hoping for some big performances from his more senior attackers.
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Jeremie Frimpong takes throw-in for Liverpool in front of Arne Slot
Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images
Of course, the likes of Ekitike and Florian Wirtz are still young themselves, but as they showed earlier in the season, Liverpool are at their most dangerous when those two are in the flow together.
That didn’t happen in the first-leg, and was a big part of why the Reds did not threaten PSG’s goal at all.
Things have to change this time around, and though he has only one goal in his last nine Liverpool appearances, Ekitike can still do some damage to his former club.
Given a full week to prepare, Slot has given Liverpool’s No. 22 the platform to make them pay for giving up on his talent. If Ekitike uses that to get back to his early-season self, then PSG should be concerned.
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