Liverpool give debut to 16-year-old wonderkid Rio Ngumoha vs Accrington after signing winger from Chelsea in the summer
LIVERPOOL have handed a shock debut to 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha who becomes the club’s youngest-ever starter.
The Reds face Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round this afternoon.
And unsurprisingly Arne Slot named a second-string XI for the clash against the League Two strugglers.
But that meant he could bring young winger Nguhoma into the team.
The star was born in August 2008 and came through the youth academy at Chelsea.
He signed for Liverpool in the summer and has chipped in with four assists in the Under-18s Premier League and Uefa Youth League this season.
Slot put him on the England U17 star on the bench for the Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Southampton in December – although he did not get on.
But instead the teenager will step out at Anfield wearing the No73 alongside the likes of experienced international stars Trent Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Slot, though, believes Nguhoma is ready for his big chance in the FA Cup.
The Kop boss said: “It’s always special if a young player makes their debut no matter which county you’re from.
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“When you’ve been a player, you know what it means.
“He is a young kid still that has been with us for half a season, training mostly with the U21s but also with us.
“He is not afraid to do what he is good at, which is taking players on in 1v1s. Hopefully he can show that today.”
Asked about Nguhoma’s comments on winning the Ballon d’Or, Slot added: “He is at a club where players can win the Ballon d’Or so let’s wait but it’s far, far too early to say.”
Harvey Elliott, Jarell Quansah and Tyler Morton also start for Liverpool – with the trio all more than five years older than their team-mate Ngumoha.
James McConnell, 20, Jayden Danns, 18, and Trey Nyoni, 17, will all be hoping to add to their few first-team appearances.
Central midfielder Nyoni joined the Reds academy from Leicester in 2023 and became the youngest player to feature for Liverpool in the FA Cup when he came on for Elliott against Southampton in the fifth round last season.