Liverpool teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha has revealed he will stay grounded despite the noise and buzz, following his heroics in the 3-2 win over Newcastle United on Monday night.
Ngumoha, 16, netted the winner for the Reds four minutes after coming on for his English Premier League debut to secure the important victory.
Aged 16 years and 361 days, he became the youngest goalscorer for Liverpool and the fourth-youngest scorer in English Premier League’s history, behind James Vaughan, James Milner and Wayne Rooney.
The 16-year-old gained limelight in preseason with his impressive display, netting three times and providing two assists for the Reds.
“I was happy to score, I’m buzzing,” Ngumoha told TalkSPORT. “I heard them screaming my name and that’s a very sensational moment.
But you just can’t get too carried away with all the noise, because at the end of the day I probably do that finish 100 times on the training ground”, he said.
“So, it’s no different with the fans [here]. But the fans backing you there is just crazy.”
Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike gave Liverpool a two-goal lead over the Magpies, who had Anthony Gordon sent off in first half stoppage-time for a reckless challenge.
However, Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula equalized for the hosts, before Ngumoha stole the headlines with a last-gasp winner.
“I’m 16 but I don’t want my age to show that I can’t play with the older players. I want to prove that I can play with people not just my age, many ages above”, he continued.
“People at the club are always helping me and I’m always learning and improving.
Normally, last season especially, the Academy coaches and even the first-team coaches, are always saying, ‘Make the back post, make the back post’. The fact that I made the back post is just crazy…when I saw it with Mo (Salah) and then Dom (Szoboszlai) putting it through his legs, I was like one-v-one, and I just smashed it”, Ngumoha added.
Ngumoha who turns 17 on Friday, could make another appearance for the Reds in their next league match against Arsenal on Sunday.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
