Rio Ngumoha sparks Liverpool win over wasteful Fulham with first Anfield goal

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Liverpool’s 17-year-old winger marked only his second start in the Premier League with a goal and a key part in the second for Mohamed Salah as the faltering champions recorded a first league win since February.Liverpool appeared vulnerable after painful cup quarter-final defeats at Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain but Fulham never put that theory to the test. Marco Silva’s side were passive throughout as Liverpool, re-energised by Ngumoha, found the energy and finishing to reach the landmark of 1,500 league wins at Anfield.

It was only their second win in six league games after a Champions League away fixture this season and should repair confidence ahead of a daunting assignment against PSG on Tuesday.There were no flags on display on the Kop as part of protests against Liverpool’s decision to increase most ticket prices for the next three seasons by the rate of inflation. Jeremie Frimpong provided Liverpool’s most potent threat in the opening stages.

His pass inside to Salah resulted in the only real chance of note, saved by Leno at his near post, before Liverpool’s teenage winger changed the complexion of the entire evening with a superb opener.The referee, Anthony Taylor, played a good advantage after Fulham midfielder Sander Berge had wrestled Cody Gakpo to the ground. His decision to remove both Wirtz and Ngumoha in the 68th minute may have been taken with the quarter-final second leg in mind.By then, Liverpool had the rare comfort of a two-goal lead that arrived just four minutes after the breakthrough by a player at the opposite end of his Anfield career, Salah.