Report: Liverpool have plan for 'exceptional' youngster after what he did against AC Milan's academy this week
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Before Liverpool registered an impressive win over AC Milan on Tuesday, their youngsters came away with a creditable point against the same opposition.
The Reds senior side were excellent in Milan, overturning an early deficit to win comfortably in the Champions League.
It was a fine European debut for Arne Slot who navigated Liverpool’s return to the top table with consummate ease.
Clearly, Liverpool being back in the Champions League has many benefits, none of which really need repeating.
But one perhaps unseen bonus is the fact that it allows the Liverpool academy to enter the UEFA Youth League, facing off against the same opponents as the first-team squad.
That meant that a trip to Italy was in store for the Reds youngsters on Tuesday. And while Barry Lewtas fielded an exciting XI, all eyes were on Rio Ngumoha, who entered the pitch as a second-half substitute.
Rio Ngumoha makes European debut
Liverpool entering the UEFA Youth League will give young players like Ngumoha the chance to take on a higher-calibre of opposition.
The Reds will face Real Madrid’s youth side at Kirkby in November, for example, in a test which can only help them in the long-term.
For Ngumoha, he is still making his first steps at Liverpool. Having made his first appearance in the U18 Premier League at the weekend, the 16-year-old has now completed his European bow.
There is plenty of hype over Ngumoha, but there have been suggestions so far that Liverpool want to take things slow with the former Chelsea talent.
READ MORE: What Liverpool think about Rio Ngumoha after his first training sessions
And that is a stance the Liverpool ECHO reiterate the club are keen on maintaining. Ngumoha’s presence on the bench instead of the starting line-up hinted at that and the ECHO claim that Liverpool still very much plan to ‘gently blood’ their new signing.
There is said to be ‘no rush’ from those inside the club with Ngumoha and they are reportedly keen to get the forward ‘settled into his new surroundings’ before ramping things up.
In the meantime, Ngumoha is said to have had a quiet cameo against AC Milan. With Liverpool on the back foot, the teenager ‘barely had a chance to stretch his legs.’
Nevertheless, he did reportedly catch the eye with some step-overs which are described as being ‘impressive,’ but all in all, Ngumoha’s time on the pitch was uneventful.
Who stood out against AC Milan?
Liverpool are right to be patient here. Although Ngumoha has been called an ‘exceptional’ talent, he needs to be given time and space to develop at his own rate.
Against Milan, plenty of supporters may have been tuning in to catch a glimpse of the winger, but they may have instead been impressed by some of the other youngsters on display.
Journalist James Pearce hailed the performance of Michael Laffey, a holding midfielder, who put in a shift to keep the scores level.
So too did centre-backs Amara Nallo and Wellity Lucky. Nallo and Lucky were praised by Lewtas, the U18s manager after the game.
As the season continues Ngumoha is likely to be the main draw at the academy. But there are plenty of others to keep a close track of, too.
