Iraola hails Ngumoha after teenager stars in Liverpool’s 6-3 win
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola will assess his squad before Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford after Rio Ngumoha and Bradley Barcola starred in the 6-3 Champions League win over LASK.
What we know
- Ngumoha, 18, impressed in Austria as Liverpool scored six against LASK in midweek.
- The former Chelsea academy winger became England’s third-youngest competitive international last month, behind Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney, during the 2-0 victory over Czechia.
- Iraola said Ngumoha is among the best options in one-versus-one situations, but stressed that the teenager must develop his work without possession and adapt to the physical demands of Premier League duels.
- The Liverpool boss said Ngumoha is getting stronger and called it a privilege to have him in the squad so soon after his 18th birthday in late August.
- Iraola said the club must guide the England international carefully because he is still far from the finished article despite his early senior breakthrough.
- Barcola scored a hat-trick against LASK, with Iraola believing the forward will improve further as he builds match rhythm.
Next step: Brentford away
Liverpool travel to the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon looking to turn their European attacking surge into three Premier League points. Iraola must decide how heavily to rotate after the LASK match, with Ngumoha and Barcola both pressing their claims for further involvement.
