Steven Gerrard has called for Liverpool manager Arne Slot to hand a start to Rio Ngumoha after the 17-year-old impressed again from the bench in the Reds’ 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night.
The young winger replaced the struggling Cody Gakpo in the 65th minute and later saw his shot tipped onto the post by goalkeeper José Sá.
“For 65 minutes Liverpool were desperate tonight, really poor, didn’t create enough, didn’t play at the right speed or the right tempo, didn’t have enough quality,” Gerrard told TNT Sports.
“[Slot] has to start Ngumoha now. He has to start him because he’s coming on and he’s doing more in a short cameo in a short space of time than Gakpo’s doing in 65, 70 minutes. He deserves to start now. He’s got to start the kid on Friday night [in the FA Cup].”
Rio Ngumoha’s introduction in the 65th minute was the earliest he has come on in a Premier League game. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Ngumoha has made 11 Premier League appearances for the reigning champions this season, but is yet to start a game in the competition.
He scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Newcastle United early in the season and was widely praised for his impact from the bench in Liverpool’s recent win at Nottingham Forest.
The 17-year-old’s only appearances in the starting 11 this season have come in the domestic cup competitions — in the FA Cup against Barnsley, and in the EFL Cup against Southampton and Crystal Palace.
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Liverpool’s loss to Wolves on Tuesday night saw them fail to capitalise on Chelsea’s defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, and the Blues will overtake Liverpool in the race for Champions League qualification should they beat Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
“The first half [against Wolves] was a complete waste from a Liverpool point of view,” said Gerrard. “No urgency, no ball speed change when you got into the final third of the pitch, there wasn’t much quality or penetration.”
