Liverpool’s $400 million spending spree in the summertime switch market got here with the promise of leisure, however early on within the Premier League season, it’s clear the reigning champions have a aptitude for the dramatic – and are blissful to name upon a variety of gamers to assist ship it.
The newest participant to step as much as the plate was not one in every of their flashy new signings however quite 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who marked his Premier League debut in type with the game-winner within the tenth minute of stoppage time within the Reds’ 3-2 victory over Newcastle United on Monday. A back-and-forth match had already performed out by the point Ngumoha got here on within the 96th minute, with Liverpool boasting a 2-0 benefit and up a participant by the forty sixth minute, just for their habitually shaky protection to permit the Magpies again into the sport by the 88th minute. Liverpool supervisor Arne Slot left Mohamed Salah on the pitch within the dying minutes of the match, however by the point Ngumoha started play within the sixth of 11 minutes of stoppage time, none of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo had been on the pitch.
Ngumoha made his transient cameo depend with a game-winner within the a hundredth minute in a superb group play. Salah had the ball on the best fringe of the penalty space and despatched the ball to his left, the place Dominik Szoboszlai was ready. The Hungary worldwide, although, got here up with the dummy and the ball landed to Ngumoha, who was on their lonesome and wasted no time slotting the ball into the web, simply contained in the submit with final precision.
This is what you might want to learn about Liverpool’s latest goalscorer, who grew to become the Premier League’s youngest game-winner simply 4 days earlier than his seventeenth birthday.
Rio Ngumoha’s upward trajectory with Liverpool
Ngumoha is a product of Chelsea‘s academy, however he joined Liverpool in the summertime of 2024 after reportedly failing to agree on a brand new contract with the Blues, a number of months faraway from scoring in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers within the U-17 Premier League Cup. Former Chelsea captain John Terry is an admirer, beforehand writing on social media that “this boy is and will probably be a high participant.”
Slot took a reasonably fast liking to Ngumoha, who skilled with the primary group at occasions throughout the 2024-25 season and made his skilled debut throughout their FA Cup win over Accrington Stanley within the third spherical. Ngumoha was the second youngest participant to make his debut for the Reds at 16 years and 135 days, behind solely Jerome Sinclair. He additionally joined the senior group for his or her preseason tour of Asia this summer season, notching an help in a pleasant towards AC Milan and scoring towards Yokohama F. Marinos.
Rio Ngumoha’s youth profession with Liverpool
Regardless of spending a while with the primary group final season, Ngumoha spent extra time throughout his first yr at Liverpool with their Premier League 2 group, which completed sixteenth and had been eradicated within the first spherical of the playoffs. He performed eight matches final season, beginning seven of them, and scored two objectives alongside the best way.
Arne Slot on Rio Ngumoha throughout preseason
Slot understandably downplayed Ngumoha’s potential throughout their preseason tour, when he caught onlookers’ consideration with a objective and help in Asia.
“We have solely performed two video games over right here and we have not performed towards Premier League opponents but, however I see him prepare, I see him play, and the affect he has when he trains and performs is de facto promising,” Slot stated after the win towards Marinos. “Taking part in within the Premier League, enjoying each three days with the Champions League video games in between, that is one thing else. However he is positively a participant who reveals that if he retains bringing these performances in, it positively will not be the final time he performs a couple of minutes for Liverpool. It is all about consistency. He must present it each single day we’re on the pitch. Rio is exhibiting issues each time in preseason.”
