Arne Slot can take the training wheels off Rio Ngumoha – he’s shown that he’s first-team ready
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There haven’t been many positives for Liverpool this season, but the emergence of Rio Ngumoha is certainly one of them.Since marking his Premier League debut against Newcastle last August with a winning goal deep into stoppage time, the 17-year-old has increasingly shown that he looks more than capable of holding his own at senior level against far more experienced opponents.His fearlessness in running at and taking on opposition defenders is a quality we haven’t seen often enough from his elder teammates, and a genuine rush of excitement takes hold at Anfield whenever he’s on the ball, much like the rush that one might enjoy from playing online slots.Such has been the ease with which Ngumoha has taken to senior football that a number of ex-Liverpool players – including the influential voice of Steven Gerrard – have called on Arne Slot to start the teenager more frequently, having used him primarily as a substitute thus far.Slot has proceeded cautiously with Ngumoha so farIt’s not unknown for footballers to be trusted in high-stakes games at such a young age – Lamine Yamal scored in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 when he was still just 16 – although it’s understandable why the Reds’ head coach has been proceeding cautiously with our number 73.It must be remembered that the LFC winger is still a minor who’s coming up against hardened adult competitors at an elite level, and a certain degree of safeguarding is essential, not just physically but also psychologically.It’s been all sunshine and rainbows for Ngumoha so far in his fledgling senior career, but there will also be bad days where he’s subjected to unforgiving criticism from pundits and social media users which could dent his hitherto supreme self-confidence.Ngumoha is ready to start in high-stakes games for LiverpoolHowever, from what we’ve seen of the 17-year-old up to now, he tends to embrace rather than being cowed by such challenges. He showed with an electrifying performance against Wolves in the FA Cup that he can be more than just an impact substitute.That night at Molineux illustrated that he’s ready to be started with further starts at senior level.
It mightn’t have been the most taxing fixture of Liverpool’s season, for sure, but the Reds still had a point to prove after their Premier League defeat to Rob Edwards’ side three days previously.It seems only a matter of time that Ngumoha is handed a first top-flight start. Every league game until the end of May could be massive for LFC in the race to secure Champions League football, but this teenage prodigy seems capable of playing a vital role in their quest to succeed in that mission.Take the training wheels off, Arne – the kid is ready for the big time!