Rio Ferdinand and Jamie Carragher are in agreement: Rio Ngumoha is the spark Liverpool have been missing. After his game-changing cameo in the 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest,
It wasn’t pretty, and it certainly wasn’t flowing, but Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday proved that grit often trumps glamour.
While the headlines will rightfully focus on the 97th-minute heroics of Alexis Mac Allister, the real story brewing at Anfield is the meteoric rise of teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha.
It was an afternoon that threatened to go down as a “Nottingham nightmare” for Arne Slot. For 77 minutes, Liverpool looked lethargic, blunt, and mentally drained, struggling to break down a resilient Nottingham Forest side. But the mood shifted the moment a 17-year-old stepped onto the pitch.
The spark in the stagnation
When Liverpool snatched Ngumoha from Chelsea’s academy in August 2024, it was described as a significant “statement of intent” by the recruitment team.
Chelsea was desperate to keep him, but the lure of Liverpool’s pathway for youth paved by the likes of Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones proved decisive.
Yesterday’s cameo wasn’t just a flash in the pan it was a validation of that scouting mission. As Slot noted, playing significant minutes at 17 in the Premier League is a rarity, but Ngumoha’s physical readiness (his ability to “stand his ground” against 28-year-old athletes) is what sets him apart from the typical academy prospect.
Before Ngumoha’s introduction, the story was one of frustration. Mohamed Salah, substituted after 77 minutes with a wry smile of embarrassment, had extended his Premier League goal drought to nine games. Cody Gakpo fared little better as the Reds toiled without the creative spark of the injured Florian Wirtz.
Slot’s decision to replace his veteran talisman with a teenager was a gamble that paid dividends almost immediately. Ngumoha didn’t just fill a gap he changed the game’s direction Within minutes, the winger was committing full-backs and delivering the kind of quality that has been missing from the Reds wide area for weeks.
“Top drawer”: pundits divided on tactics, United on Rio
The impact was so undeniable that it drew a rare consensus from rival pundits. Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinandtook to X to send a direct message to the Liverpool boss:
“Top drawer the kid Rio [Ngumoha] for Liverpool. Changed the game for them. A winger that wants to beat his man and deliver with a mix of speed and finesse.”
Top drawer the kid Rio for LFC. Changed the game for them. A winger that wants to beat his man & deliver with a mix of speed & finesse
Perhaps most damning for the senior starters was Jamie Carragher’s assessment on Sky Sports. Carragher didn’t mince words, suggesting the academy graduate had already surpassed his more experienced teammates:
“Ngumoha did more in 15 minutes than Salah and Gakpo did before that. He changed the game and needs to be starting games. There’s no one better in getting last-minute winners in the Premier League and that is Liverpool.”
The catalyst for chaos
Ngumoha’s primary contribution was the injection of chaos. In the 89th minute, he stood up a pinpoint cross for a Hugo Ekitike header, which led to a Mac Allister finish. While VAR eventually ruled that specific effort out for a controversial handball, the momentum had permanently shifted.
The Reds refused to be denied a second time. In the 7th minute of stoppage time, Mac Allister pounced again to plunder the winner, moving Liverpool level on points with Chelsea and Manchester United in a heated Champions League qualification race.
Despite the clamor for Ngumoha to start, Arne Slot remains the voice of measured caution. In his post-match press conference, the Dutchman defended his management of the “special” talent while acknowledging his unique standing in the league.
"I don't think there's another 17-year-old that has played as many minutes in the Premier League as he has!"
"I don't think there's an 18 or a 19-year-old that has played as many minutes – the last thing I'm not 100% sure about."
“He has incredible potential, otherwise at 17 years of age you don’t play as many minutes as he does in the Premier League, let alone at Liverpool,” Slot said. “I don’t think there’s any other 17-year-old that has played so many minutes this season. He gets stronger. Apart from his one-v-one, there were moments where he showed he stands his ground against 28-year-old athletes.”
With the race for the top for tightening, Slot may find it increasingly difficult to keep his most electric weapon on the bench.
Nazira Yusuf is a versatile sports journalist and dedicated Liverpool supporter who brings a wealth of experience from the front lines of the Premier League.
As a reporter she is a familiar face in press rooms, delivering breaking news, injury updates, and tactical insights on the Reds on match days.
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