Ever since Rio Ngumoha’s performance against Fulham, there have been non-stop calls for him to start against PSG.
Arne Slot sat down to address the media ahead of Tuesday night’s second leg, and the 17-year-old’s readiness for a game of this magnitude was one of the first questions put to him.
Fans and pundits are all saying Ngumoha should start against PSG, seeing him as a potentially decisive factor in a game that Liverpool must win by at least two goals. Naturally, the Dutchman gave no indication as to who he will start, but nonetheless backed the young winger to make an impact if he does get on the pitch.
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Arne Slot waxes lyrical about Liverpool starlet Rio Ngumoha
There has been constant debate all season about how much Ngumoha is being used in this Liverpool side.
Many would like to see him take Cody Gakpo’s starting role on a permanent basis, but the manager has been hesitant to land so much responsibility on his young shoulders.
But Slot knows the talent he is dealing with, as he made clear in his press conference.
He said: “He can cope with this type of game because of his personality, he doesn’t get distracted. Everyone who knows his history more knows he has had a lot of expectations for many years, and he’s always been able to focus on football and become better and stronger.
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“At 17 he has already had multiple starts for Liverpool. And the second thing is his quality. At the highest level he is able to take 1v1s on and make it difficult for the defenders he is facing.
“He has done a very good job in managing up to now but it’s a good thing to have so many experienced players around him which he has.”
rIO NGUMOHA AND ARNE SLOT
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Slot has no doubts about Ngumoha’s ability. His reserved approach is one taken out of caution and care. The teenager has a long career ahead of him, and risking overworking him is not a good idea.
That said, he does look like Liverpool’s best option on the left right now. Most will be hoping to see his name on the teamsheet on Tuesday night. That doesn’t mean Slot will take the gamble, but we should expect to see him make some sort of impact, especially if Liverpool are still chasing the game late on.
Arne Slot knows what needs to be done vs PSG
On chasing a result, Slot made it clear that the players will need to be locked in on both sides of the ball.
As he explains: “We have to find the perfect balance between being offensive and not be offensive. You need to have the ball, and you need to do so many things well before your attackers can attack.
“That’s why the history of this club shows a lot of players who are very good offensively but do their defensive job as well. Both teams like to have the ball. They had 76% last time, that’s the first thing we have to change. When you have it then it is nice to have an attacking threat on the pitch, which is what we will have tomorrow.”
Do you still think Liverpool can turn the quarter-final around at Anfield?
2-0 down vs PSG, it's going to be some ask from here…
Jeremie Frimpong takes throw-in for Liverpool in front of Arne Slot
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Turning this tie around will take a monumental effort, and the kind of performance we haven’t seen this season. A perfect one.
It’s not been a hopeful kind of season at Anfield, but there is one more chance to salvage a European dream. It starts with the first whistle.
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