Rio Ngumoha kicked off Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Fulham with a superb finish and has been tipped to start their win-or-bust Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain
Arne Slot is conflicted about Rio Ngumoha(Image: This Is Anfield)
Arne Slot has questioned whether Rio Ngumoha can handle the intensity of Liverpool’s clash with Paris Saint-Germain – despite labelling him ‘ready’ to play in a game of such high magnitude. Ngumoha, 17, stole the show on Saturday by scoring the opening goal during the Reds’ much-needed 2-0 win at home to Fulham.
The winger cut inside on his favoured right foot and produced a wonderful strike which curled into the back of the net. Ngumoha was a constant threat down the left flank and many fans are calling for him to start the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final against PSG on Tuesday, with the Reds trailing 2-0 on aggregate.
Impressed by the 17-year-old’s display, Slot hasn’t ruled out keeping him in his starting XI. But the Liverpool boss has doubts over whether Ngumoha can replicate that level of performance given the short turnaround, having never started consecutive games since he broke into the first-team.
“Yeah, I think he’s ready. Now the question, of course, is: can he do this two days later again?” Slot asked in his post-match press conference. “That’s another question. But would he be able to play and perform at that level? Yeah.
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“I play him because I see him as one of the players we are having. It’s not like he’s less or in the beginning of the season he was a young player getting some experience with the first team. But now he’s just someone I can pick for any game. So, also the one on Tuesday.
“But I think in general – that’s not to say about Tuesday – but in general expecting from a 17-year-old that he can play three games in six days, you could question if that’s realistic, especially for the ones that have been there in Paris and saw that intensity.
“That’s almost for every player too much, as you noticed today in my line-up, that I was aware of how intense two days ago was and how intense two days from today will be again.”
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Rio Ngumoha shone versus Fulham(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Slot has plenty of options to replace Ngumoha, most likely Cody Gakpo, who started the Fulham match as a striker. Both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak were on the bench, with the latter coming on as a substitute.
Liverpool need to score at least two goals while keeping the back door shut against PSG, who outclassed them in the first leg. Ngumoha will be hoping to make an impact and contribute towards another famous Champions League night at Anfield.
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