Steven Gerrard might be about to get his Liverpool wish but Arne Slot priority remains

Liverpool takes on Wolves in the FA Cup just a few days after losing at Molineux, with Steven Gerrard issuing a clear instruction to Arne Slot ahead of the fixture

Liverpool legend and TNT Sports pundit Steven Gerrard.(Image: Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)

In a period of little excitement in the final third for Liverpool, it is no surprise that Rio Ngumoha's name has been on the lips of plenty of fans hoping for an injection of pace and frankly just something a bit different.

Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah have been struggling, and if Federico Chiesa is the answer to any question, it isn't one of how Liverpool can add speed to a one-dimensional attack.

"For 65 minutes Liverpool were desperate tonight, really poor, didn't create enough, didn't play at the right speed or the right tempo, didn't have enough quality," Steven Gerrard said while working as a pundit on TNT Sports on Tuesday.

"[Arne Slot] has to start Ngumoha now. He has to start him because he's coming on and he's doing more in a short cameo in a short space of time than Cody Gakpo's doing in 65, 70 minutes.

"He deserves to start now. He's got to start the kid on Friday night [in the FA Cup]."

Gerrard is not the only former player who has been impressed by Ngumoha. Jamie Carragher has also called for the teenager to get more time on the pitch, and Daniel Sturridge is another big fan.

Carragher and Gerrard have called for Rio Ngumoha to get more minutes(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

"Every time I watch Rio Ngumoha, he looks electric," Sturridge posted on social media, echoing the thoughts of plenty of supporters, when he appeared off the bench against Nottingham Forest.

"Direct, fearless, always trying to affect the game. He deserves more minutes. Simple as that."

But there are clear reasons why Slot has been careful with Ngumoha. At 17, though the player is "special", he is also so young that exposing him to too much senior soccer would be detrimental.

While in the short term, Liverpool would benefit from Ngumoha playing every week, he isn't training as often as his senior teammates at the moment, so the Reds can manage his workload.

Arne Slot has said he can see Rio Ngumoha's improvement and insisted he will play for Liverpool going forward

Even taking his physical development out of the equation, it would simply be unfair to paint a teenager as the saviour during a difficult season for Liverpool relative to its initial aims.

Slot has already pointed to the likes of Stefan Bajcetic and Jayden Danns, who have both been sidelined for long periods, in part because they were over-relied on too early in their careers.

The last thing that anyone should want is for Ngumoha to end up heading down the same path.

It is for that reason, as much as anything, that Ngumoha is yet to start in the Premier League for Liverpool. He has appeared 11 times off the bench in that competition so far this season, but his action has been deliberately limited.

The ex-Chelsea talent has made three starts — two in the League Cup and one in the FA Cup — but two of those were against EFL sides. The other was Crystal Palace, when Liverpool lost 3-0 at Anfield.

Though Ngumoha must be managed carefully, he also needs game to develop. Getting the balance right, and making sure the environment is right, is a tricky test.

Unquestionably, Ngumoha deserves more minutes and needs games to develop, though. That time should come in the domestic cups, and so the second trip to Molineux this week could be as good a platform as any.

But even if Ngumoha excites at Wolves — from the start or off the bench again — the long-term plan remains the priority.