'I saw Rio Ngumoha deliver another exciting glimpse with next Liverpool step already clear'

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Liverpool made it through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup by beating Wolves, with Rio Ngumoha offering the latest exciting glimpse of his talent under Arne Slot

Rio Ngumoha is challenged by Joao Gomes during the FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Wolves.(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Step by step. Liverpool made things look easy in the second half at Molineux this time around, even if it didn’t start fast again at Wolves — and Rio Ngumoha excelled.

Arne Slot might be wondering where this performance was when the Reds lost late on to a deflected Andre strike in the Premier League only a few days earlier, but it is too late to dwell on that now. Liverpool must instead continue to move forward, and Ngumoha certainly helped there.

In the first half, the teenager was running into a sea of bodies and he couldn’t really get a shot or a cross away. In the second, he found that more spaces opened up — there possibly lies another argument for continuing to use him mainly as a sub — and that was when he came into his own a lot more.

Across the 90 minutes, Ngumoha only gave the ball away three times with passes, showing how he looked after it and made the right call to go backwards at times, remaining patient. It was a mature performance belying his age.

"I think it's special if you're a 17-year-old and you play in a Premier League match," Arne Slot said. "I know it's an FA Cup match, but two Premier League sides playing against each other.

"If you're then able already to impact it with some very good one-v-one situations, that is also what makes him special because there are not many players in modern football that can take one-v-ones on.

Rio Ngumoha applauds the Liverpool fans his star showing in the 3-1 FA Cup victory at Wolves(Image: Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

"That's something he can do. He also — in my opinion — did better than three days ago because he kept the ball more."

Ngumoha helped open up spaces and he looked really comfortable whenever he was in possession. But for all that he is exciting, it should be viewed as the next step rather than anything more.

Whatever happened in this game — for Ngumoha or anyone else who can play on the left flank — it wasn’t going to be the 17-year-old playing from the off in Turkiye on Tuesday.

Instead, this was another building block — a chance he would probably have been slated for regardless of the form of the team and the below-par performances of the more senior options out wide, given it was the FA Cup.

Ngumoha drew fouls and made Wolves players gang up on him as they quickly realized his capabilities. At 17, they are frightening.

For the rest of this season, even if it is mainly off the bench — as it almost certainly will be — that will be a useful asset.

In the future, it will be a major weapon that can open up spaces for others. For now, the plan with Ngumoha will remain consistent, with more glimpses like this one to follow.