Rio Ngumoha’s Next Step at Liverpool After Showing Special Talent

Liverpool’s teenage starlet dazzled in their comfortable victory over Fulham.

Liverpool have a star for the now, not merely the future. | Daniel Chesterton/Offside/Offside/Getty Images

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has hinted that 17-year-old teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha will be unleashed from the start against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, following a dazzling display in the 2–0 win over Fulham that helped ease the pressure on the Dutchman.

While Slot, who guided the Reds to their second Premier League title last season, is confident that he still has the full support of Liverpool’s owners, much of the fanbase has started to turn after a string of poor performances and results.

A meek 2–0 defeat to PSG in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal was the final straw for some, and Slot undoubtedly would‘ve been under huge pressure had the Reds failed to turn up at Anfield on Saturday evening.

But the manager aided his cause by freshening up an attack that toiled on Wednesday night. A back four returned, as did Mohamed Salah, while Ngumoha made just his second Premier League start. Both found the back of the net in Liverpool’s sorely-needed 2–0 over Fulham to improve their chances of securing a top-five finish.

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Ngumoha ’Ready’ After Dazzling Fulham Performance

Rio’s second Premier League goal was a beauty. | Liverpool FC/Getty Images

There were still imperfections that Slot must iron out if Liverpool are to complete a memorable comeback against the European champions on Tuesday night. Still, the Reds performed with a newfound verve going forward thanks to Ngumoha’s strong influence down the left-hand side.

The teenager’s first Anfield goal was divine, breaking the deadlock, and Slot said post-match that he wasn’t taken aback by his impressive level of performance on Saturday.

“He has such a special quality which you don’t see a lot in football anymore: dominating the one-v-one situation,” the self-proclaimed soccer romantic commented post-match. “That’s exactly what he did when he scored his goal, making the ball free by twisting and turning and then hitting it in like a Mo Salah finish, I would say.

“It’s something I’m not surprised to see because in training sessions during the last month, we saw more and more that he got more and more power to hit the ball as powerfully as he did today.”

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Ngumoha has waited patiently for more opportunities, having burst onto scene on Matchday 2 of the 2025–26 Premier League season by scoring a dramatic late winner at St. James’ Park. Slot hasn’t yet offered the teenager a sustained run in the team, but Liverpool’s recent attacking malaise means it’s become impossible for the Dutchman to ignore him.

Asked whether Ngumoha could start Tuesday’s second leg against PSG, Slot replied: “Yeah, I think he’s ready. Now the question, of course, is: can he do this two days later again? That’s another question.”

The 17-year-old has made just three Champions League appearances off the bench in his young career, but is suddenly in contention to play a leading role in Liverpool’s most significant outing of the season.

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