Andy Robertson hailed Liverpool starlet Rio Ngumoha following his breakout performance in the club’s win over Athletic Bilbao.
Liverpool played a double-header against Athletic Bilbao on Monday comprising their final pre-season friendlies before Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Crystal Palace.
Ngumoha started the game as part of a front three that also featured Ben Doak and Darwin Nunez and wasted little time showcasing his enormous potential.
After the receiving the ball on the half-way line shortly after kick-off, the 16-year-old drove towards goal before curling a strike into the bottom corner.
Liverpool went on to secure a comfortable 4-1 win as fans heaped praise on Nguhoma’s performance and claimed he is ready to play a significant role for Arne Slot’s side in the coming campaign.
Robertson was also full of praise for Ngumoha following the game and claimed the 16-year-old has a bright future ahead of him.
Andy Robertson heaped praise on Rio Ngumoha after the 16-year-old starred in Liverpool’s win over Athletic Bilbao
Ngumoha netted a stunning solo goal in the first of two friendlies between the clubs on Monday
Arsenal starlet Max Dowman branded his England U17 team-mate ‘the coldest’ in a post on social media
‘He’s not bad, is he?’ Robertson told The Anfield Wrap.
‘He’s a good kid as well and he’s got a fantastic head on his shoulders.Especially when he’s got people like Mo [Salah] and things like that that can help him so much.
‘We always try and help him because he’s a good kid. I mean, and Trey [Nyoni], they’re so young but they’re such good kids and they’ve got a hell of a future for them.
‘You can just see them coming on every time and the more they train with us, the more they play with us, they just get better and better.
‘Obviously that’s the last two games now I’ve played with Rio in front of me and he just keeps on coming on and he’s got a hell of a future ahead of him but the here and now looks pretty good as well.’
Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman has long been aware of Ngumoha’s talents from their time on international duty at the 15-year-old took to social media to hail his friend’s performance.
‘The coldest.’ Dowman wrote of Ngumoha’s performance to his 360,000 followers on Instagram.
Dowman and Ngumoha both featured for Neil Ryan’s Young Lions at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship this summer.
The Hale End academy graduate netted as England defeated the Czech Republic in their final group game but it wasn’t enough to prevent an early exit.
With a superior goal difference, Belgium instead went through to the knockout stages as Portugal ultimately emerged victorious by beating France.
