Andoni Iraola sets Liverpool winger challenge amid Bradley Barcola transfer pursuit

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Echo or go back to LFC Live.

SportFootballLiverpool FCAndoni Iraola discussed Rio Ngumoha's switch to the right win against Wrexham, against whom he scored the only goalAndoni Iraola says any winger Liverpool sign this summer must have the ability to play off both flanks as the head coach explained his reasons for fielding match-winner Rio Ngumoha on the right in the 1-0 win over Wrexham.The Reds beat the Championship side at New York's Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night thanks to Ngumoha's second-half strike and the winger caught the eye in the unfamiliar role out on the right wing.Liverpool are looking to begin talks with Paris Saint-Germain over Bradley Barcola who is rated at £140m by the European champions and while the Reds will look to negotiate a lower fee for the France international, he primarily operates off the left, which raised the question for why Ngumoha was selected in the unfamiliar spot on Wednesday.However, Iraola has challenged all his wide players to become versatile to make the side more unpredictable this coming campaign."Yes I think [playing both sides] is a great skill to have because in the end you become less predictable," Iraola said at a press conference on Thursday morning in Chicago."And I think I know most of them have one preferred side but maybe you are only going to play there 70% of the time. Or we see there can be a weakness on the side tacitcally, something we can see that we have a chance."To be able to play both sides, it becomes better for you because you can have more minutes and it's also better for us because we can use the squad better I think."On why 17-year-old Ngumoha was deployed on the right against Wrexham, Iraola added: "Two aspects.

First, our wingers, normally, I am encourage them to have the ability to play both sides."I know some of them are more comfortable on just one side but we normally aren't symmetric as a team. So sometimes one of the wingers will have to do more defensive work or has to play higher or more inside or outside."So if you can give me the option to put you both sides it is selfishly for you to get minutes.

Now in pre-season I have to see where they are more comfortable."But in my previous clubs most of the wingers have played both sides and even during games we have changed some times the sides of the wingers. I would like it now if we could have this versatility.