'I can guarantee': Steve Nicol picks his Liverpool front three for PSG with Rio Ngumoha decision made
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Predictably, the goal has heightened belief that Ngumoha should be a starter for Liverpool, with Nicol urging Slot to play him again as the Reds attempt to make a comeback against PSG. Are Liverpool in danger of blocking Rio’s pathway with a new signing this summer?
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Andy Buchanan/AFP Nicol wants Ngumoha, Ekitike, Salah vs PSGWhatever happens against PSG, Liverpool know they must score at least two goals to have any chance of progressing to the semi-final.Though he is going to have to be wary of keeping things tight and not conceding, this means that Slot simply has to name a positive line-up at Anfield, and according to Nicol, this should lead to a front three of Ngumoha, Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah being selected.“Absolutely,” he said on ESPN FC when asked if Ngumoha should be back against PSG.“Right now Liverpool are searching for positives, and there’s no question that Ngumoha is a positive. He scares defenders, if you go back to the tried and trusted Gakpo, Ekitike through the middle and Mo on the right then I can guarantee that whoever’s playing right-back doesn’t mind playing against Gakpo.”Photo by Carl Recine/Getty ImagesREAD MORE: Liverpool fans will love Rio Ngumoha even more after hearing what he’s just said about the Reds“If you play Ngumoha, the full-back number one doesn’t know much about Ngumoha, he doesn’t want to play against him.
“The kid’s already scored a goal, he’s involved in the second goal as well, so there’s absolutely no way you should not be starting Ngumoha on one side and yes, I think you have to start Salah in this game, particularly because he scored a goal, and Ekitike should be through the middle.”Analysis: Slot unlikely to start Ngumoha againIt will certainly be much harder for Slot to justify leaving Ngumoha out on Tuesday than it would have been before Saturday’s match.Nevertheless, the Dutchman has been very keen to protect his young star this season, carefully managing his minutes so as not to see him overburdened. A better call might be for Liverpool’s more senior players to get them into a good position going into the last third of the tie, when Ngumoha can come on and wreak some havoc.But, all the same, there has been enough evidence throughout the season, culminating in Saturday’s show, that Ngumoha can be counted on if he is picked to start.