'Be patient': Former Liverpool player says why Rio Ngumoha shouldn't have started vs Galatasaray
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Despite Liverpool looking sluggish and losing 1-0, Rio Ngumoha did not feature against Galatasaray.Instead, Arne Slot dropped Cody Gakpo from the XI and decided to start Florian Wirtz on the left wing.After Ngumoha shone against Wolves in the FA Cup, fans probably wanted to see him feature, but Don Hutchison has explained that Galatasaray simply isn’t the place to use a 17-year-old with very little senior experience. Who was Liverpool’s worst player vs Galatasaray? 😬 Credit: Liverpool FC/Cem Hasret Tekkesinoglu/Anadolu/Getty Images Rio Ngumoha is too inexperienced to start in ‘hostile’ Galatasaray atmosphereBefore the fifth-round tie, Ngumoha had started just three games in all competitions, all of which were in domestic cup matches.This, coupled with the ‘hostile’ atmosphere on March 10, has led Hutchison to say the 17-year-old should not have been selected.Replying to a fan on X/Twitter, the former player said: “Do you honestly think Gala at home is the place for Rio to be starting?
At Anfield in the 2nd leg, then.“The kid is only 17 with [a] couple of starts behind him. Rio has a long, brilliant future ahead of him.
Be patient.” Ok, let’s all agree Slot’s done, who you want to see in the dugout next? Credit: Arife Karakum/Anadolu/Anadolu/Getty Images Hutchison has a point, with Rousing The Kop predicting pre-match that, despite it being an unpopular opinion among the fanbase, Slot would not start Ngumoha in the Champions League meeting.However, what was somewhat baffling was the fact that even late in the game, when Liverpool were chasing an equaliser and creating nothing, Slot didn’t bring the winger on.Jermaine Pennant questioned the Liverpool manager’s decision not to use Ngumoha at all, saying he is now ‘done’ with the 47-year-old.It’s easy to see why fans may be angry about the former Chelsea gem not featuring at all, with it clear he must, at the very least, get some minutes off the bench when the Reds clash with a woeful Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday.Spurs were hammered by Atletico Madrid in midweek and are fighting relegation in the Premier League, making them great opponents for the teenager.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox