Arne Slot told Rio Ngumoha has 'earned right to play' as huge PSG decision looms

Rio Ngumoha has further enhanced his chances of playing for Liverpool against PSG after his performance against Fulham, with one pundit feeling he has earned the right to start

Rio Ngumoha impressed once again as he scored in Liverpool's win over Fulham(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot has been told Rio Ngumoha has “earned his right” to be in Liverpool’s team as the Reds’ boss now faces a big decision against Paris Saint-Germain.

Ngumoha stole the show as he was handed just his second Premier League start against Fulham on Saturday, with the 17-year-old scoring in the 2-0 victory which leaves Liverpool in pole position to qualify for next season’s Champions League ahead of the youngster’s former club Chelsea.

There has been a huge clamor for Ngumoha to be handed more playing time this season, with Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard among those to have previously urged Slot to start him ahead of some of his senior teammates.

Those calls look set to grow as Liverpool faces Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of its Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday, with the Reds needing to overturn a 2-0 deficit if they’re to keep their hopes of silverware alive.

Former England midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Izzy Christiansen was full of praise for Ngumoha after his performance on Saturday, and she suggested there should be no hesitation from Slot to include the youngster in his team now.

“I don’t think that Arne Slot put Rio into this team as a token,” Christiansen said. “He’s clearly in this team because he has earned the right to be there.”

Jamie Redknapp concurs, and the ex-Liverpool star has some special insight into Ngumoha’s journey to the Reds’ senior squad.

Rio Ngumoha celebrates his stunning first goal at Anfield for Liverpool, which opened the scoring against Fulham (Image: ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images)

"The potential was so obvious. Everybody could see it. He just had sort of a natural X Factor,” Redknapp said.

"He was at Chelsea at the same time as my youngest son, and they used to train together in the same group.

"It was quite staggering to see. His brother, who played a big part in his career, certainly his development. He used to do a lot of one-on-one coaching with him, and he came over to my house a few times, and I just watched how he worked with Rio.

"I've never seen a kid with such fast feet, but it was repetition after repetition. We speak so much now about a lot of these, a lot of these players don't just perhaps get enough training at their own clubs. They do it with one-on-one coaches, and there's probably nobody better, or nobody knows him better than his older brother.

"So they worked extremely well together. For anyone who doesn't know his sort of journey. He was one of the very highly regarded players at Chelsea. They loved him. Wanted to keep him.”

Redknapp added: “Liverpool came in. He left at 16 years of age to go up there, and it must have been really hard for him. It probably took a little while to settle. His first year in the academy didn't go perhaps, to help like to plan.

"This year, he sort of forced his way in with the first team squad. And now you can see it, the goal against Newcastle, the goal against Fulham, he's thriving.

"He's enjoying it, and it is a great environment. It's a tough environment. I did it myself as a 17-year-old when I signed for Liverpool, and I'm thankful for every day that I did it.

"He's doing extremely well. Got to keep his head on his shoulders and keep working hard. He's got great experienced players like Andy Robertson around him. So I'm delighted. He's a really good young man, and it's amazing to see him. I've known him since he was seven. I'm delighted."