‘Could he handle that?’ – Liverpool legend debates whether Rio Ngumoha should start v Galatasaray

John Aldridge has called on Arne Slot to promote Rio Ngumoha to the Liverpool starting XI, but doesn’t believe that’ll happen against Galatasaray on Tuesday.

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The 17-year-old has been earning (justified) rave reviews for his recent performances, and he was rewarded with a start in the FA Cup victory over Wolves last Friday, with Danny Murphy saying that the winger’s display at Molineux has presented his head coach with a selection ‘headache’.

Steven Gerrard and Jermaine Pennant have also championed the case for the teenager to be included in the first XI more frequently, and he’s travelled with the senior squad for the Champions League clash in Istanbul this evening.

Aldridge doesn’t think Ngumoha will start in Istanbul

In his latest column for the Liverpool Echo, Aldridge believes that Slot won’t expose Ngumoha to the hostility of Rams Park from the first whistle, but has implored the Dutchman to select the youngster from the start against relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur next weekend.

The former Reds striker wrote: ‘I think we know as fans that he [Ngumoha] should start more games. I’m not saying necessarily against Galatasaray, because it’s a cauldron. Could he handle that? I think he could, but it could go against him and I think Arne Slot will go for experience and I understand that.

‘But next Sunday at Anfield against Tottenham, why not? 100% Tottenham are struggling at the moment. Nothing is going their way.

‘I don’t want to say they’re there for the taking, but seriously, you’ve got to start the lad against Spurs and give him at least 70 minutes and just see how he fares, because without experience, he won’t grow as quickly.

‘I think everyone agrees that, from what we’ve seen, he deserves a start. Not Galatasaray, but Tottenham certainly.’

Ngumoha probably won’t start tonight, but he isn’t far off

Ngumoha has played in a couple of Champions League games this season, but both of those were as a substitute at Anfield when the stakes were relatively low (Atletico Madrid in Liverpool’s first league phase match, and Qarabag when a win and a top-eight finish were already assured).

Throwing him in at the deep end in the febrile atmosphere of Rams Park for the high-wire setting of a knockout fixture is a different matter entirely, and while the 17-year-old has looked fearless every time he’s played for the first team so far, a cautionary approach from Slot this evening would be understandable.

What we’d hate to happen is for the teenager to start and then endure a tough night at the office which leads to scathing criticism of his performance and knocks his hitherto supreme self-confidence.

Ngumoha certainly seems capable of making a game-changing impact as a substitute if Liverpool need him in Istanbul, and we don’t doubt that he’d relish the opportunity to start at Anfield on Sunday against a Spurs side enduring an existential crisis.

If (and it’s a big if) the Reds produce an outstanding performance at Rams Park and rack up a big win which all but kills off the tie, the 17-year-old may well be handed a full Champions League debut at home next week.

For the reasons that Aldridge outlined, we don’t think it’ll come this evening, but it surely isn’t too far away given the teenager’s career trajectory.

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