Gary Lineker makes feelings clear on 'exciting' Liverpool talent after Arne Slot prediction

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Liverpool forward Rio Ngumoha has made a big impression this season, even though he has been very carefully managed by Arne Slot across the course of the campaign

Gary Lineker on the Rest Is Football podcast.(Image: Rest Is Football // YouTube)

Gary Lineker is a big fan of Liverpool talent Rio Ngumoha, though he has rightly played down suggestions that the 17-year-old could make a late bid to be named in England's World Cup squad.

Ngumoha has played 25 times at the senior level for Liverpool this season and is a major prospect for the future, but the Reds have been very careful with managing his minutes. Overplaying him now could lead to physical problems further down the line.

"I mean, that's quite a big shout," Lineker said on the Rest Is Football podcast when he was speaking about Ngumoha in the context of a World Cup call.

"He's only just broken into the Liverpool team, but he’s very exciting. He is a talent, but yeah, it’s just come a bit too soon for him, I think."

In the recent past, Liverpool has seen the likes of Jayden Danns and Stefan Bajcetic struggle with injuries after being overused. Neither of that duo has played this season because of long-term issues.

Raheem Sterling, whose career started brilliantly but slowed down in his late 20s, is an example of someone who was used too much early on before burning out, while Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen could fall into the same category, to varying degrees.

Liverpool forward Rio Ngumoha.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"He's not only the long-term future but also the near future," Arne Slot told reporters in a press conference after Ngumoha scored against Fulham recently.

"I said one or two months ago his playing time would increase because he's got stronger and stronger.

"He's shown that it wasn't only a nice trick but there was more and more end product to what he did, and more power, which is needed if you play against the best defenders in the world.

"I don't think anyone is surprised he scored his first [Anfield] goal. He has such a special quality you don't see very often in football anymore, dominating the one-v-one situations.

"That's 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. It's pleasing to see that he did what we know makes him special."

Liverpool.com says: Slot has been very careful with Ngumoha and rightly so. He is a major talent, though, and in the next few months, he will slowly get more chances.

Heading into next season, Liverpool needs to get itself into a position where it can kill games off by the hour mark. At that point, Ngumoha can be introduced without any pressure.