Rio Ngumoha was the shining star in Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Fulham at Anfield on Saturday.
After back-to-back defeats to Man City in the FA Cup and PSG in the Champions League, it was essential to get the three points needed if the Reds are going to secure qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Arne Slot has been accused of being overprotective of 17-year-old Ngumoha this season, avoiding giving him too much game time and often only using him as a late substitute, often when games are already beyond saving.
However, he showed on Saturday the ability he has to cut through defences and make the difference – something that several of the club’s more established players have been unable to at times.
“I think I’ve said a few weeks, maybe months ago, one or two months ago, that his playing time would increase because he got stronger and stronger, showed more and more when he came in, but also in training sessions, that it wasn’t only a nice trick, but there was more and more end product to what he did.’ said Slot after the game.
“There was more and more power to what he did, which is needed if you play against the best defenders in the world. And I don’t think anyone is surprised that at this moment of time he scored his first goal.
“He has such a special quality which you don’t see a lot in football anymore: dominating the one-v-one situation. And that’s exactly what he did when he scored his goal, making the ball free by twisting and turning and then hitting it in like a Mo Salah finish, I would say.
“It’s something I’m not surprised to see because in training sessions during the last month we saw more and more that he got more and more power to hit the ball as powerful as he did today.
“And yeah, that’s why he had now three starts in the last seven or eight games, I think. I don’t know exactly, but Wolves and Tottenham and this one. Pleasing to see that he did what we know makes him special, that’s dominating one-v-one situations.”
Will he start against PSG on Tuesday? Don’t hold your breath!
