Journalist Reveals the Truth Behind Rio Ngumoha’s Lack of Game Time
Liverpool’s season has become an exercise in frustration and restraint. After winning the Premier League title in his debut campaign, Arne Slot now finds his side fourth in the table, already out of the Carabao Cup and searching for rhythm. With Mohamed Salah away at AFCON, Alexander Isak sidelined with a long term injury and both Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike recently struggling for fitness, the absence of Rio Ngumoha from regular first team action feels increasingly conspicuous.
Lewis Steele, speaking to Dave Davis for Anfield Index, addressed this exact tension, offering insight that helps frame the debate with more nuance than the noise often allows.
Pathway promised but rarely used
Slot’s decision not to sign a left winger in the summer was widely interpreted as a deliberate act of faith in Ngumoha. At 17, the teenager was supposed to represent a pathway from academy to first team. Yet, months into a difficult campaign, that pathway feels more theoretical than real.
Steele recalled Ngumoha’s cameo against Leeds United, saying, “Rio Ngumoha came off the bench against Leeds United on New Year’s Day and I thought he played really well.” That appearance mattered because Liverpool had been blunt and predictable. Steele added, “Leeds could’ve put their feet up in that game because of the lack of creativity from Liverpool, but then Ngumoha comes on and they looked panicked.”
In a side crying out for invention, it was a telling moment. It also sharpened the question of why those flashes have not led to more minutes.
Managing talent versus managing bodies
The explanation, as Steele outlined, lies less in trust and more in caution. “I think he’s great to have off the bench in these games but he’s in an awkward position where Slot doesn’t want to overwork him.”
Liverpool’s recent history with young players looms large here. Steele was explicit, noting, “He only trains two times per week because they look at the likes of Stefan Bajcetic, Jayden Danns and Kaide Gordon who have all struggled for fitness after breaking through.” The club’s sports science department is clearly shaping selection decisions.
This context matters. Liverpool are protecting an asset, not hiding it. “They’re really trying to avoid that with Ngumoha. So I get the clammer to see more of him because he looks really good everytime he plays but the club are just being really careful.”
Short term needs and long term vision
Still, there is a tension between prudence and necessity. Slot has already shown tactical flexibility, yet in matches where the bench has offered limited alternatives, Ngumoha’s absence feels like a choice rather than an inevitability. Liverpool’s struggles this season have been defined by moments crying out for boldness.
Steele believes a line may finally be crossed, saying, “I do think he deserves more game time and I think he will start tonight against Barnsley in the FA Cup, so we will see how he does.” That match may become a litmus test for how Slot plans to navigate the rest of the campaign.
For now, Liverpool walk a familiar tightrope, balancing immediate pressure with future promise. Ngumoha represents hope, but also responsibility. Slot’s challenge is deciding when caution stops being sensible and starts becoming restrictive.
