Liverpool finally ended their latest three-game losing streak in all competitions last night, with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Fulham on Merseyside.
Arne Slot’s men produced a workmanlike display to secure the three points, a result that bolstered the club’s hopes of finishing in the top five of the Premier League.
The Reds are four points behind Chelsea ahead of their clash with Manchester City this afternoon, hoping to get the ball into their own hands.
Many players rose to the occasion at Anfield on Saturday, including Mohamed Salah, who scored with a trademark effort that curled into the far corner.
However, it was the performance of another Reds star that got the fans talking and it should be given his excellent performance against the Cottagers.
Stats after Rio Ngumoha’s game against Fulham
After a string of tight games in recent weeks, midfielder Rio Ngumoha was given a rare opportunity to play some good football against Fulham.
The 17-year-old is a player who has been generating a lot of excitement for Liverpool fans, and fans were once again watching his skills last night.
He played 69 minutes in the competition on Merseyside, producing a number of impressive stats and attracting attention with his consistent attacking quality.
Ngumoha managed to score his second Premier League goal of the season in the win, after which he found the net with a superb curling effort.
He also managed to make two dribbles into the final third, when he found a team-mate with 100% of crosses attempted – arguably the team’s biggest attacking threat.
Ngumoha’s performance could have an impact on the Liverpool star
Over the years, Liverpool have been blessed with plenty of attacking talent, but the team’s midfield has declined significantly following the departures of Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino.
Cody Gakpo has been operating on the left side of the attack for the past few months, and the Dutchman has switched to a more forward role against Fulham.
The decision was eventually made to allow Ngumoha to thrive on the left – a decision that proved to be the right one given his excellent strike.
Because of this, the Dutch player can still start playing under Slot, as the English player deserves to start in the Premier League.
Although the 26-year-old could drop down the order as a result, that would be more bad news for Federico Chiesa, who is likely to be third choice.
The Italian, who joined for an estimated £10m in 2024, has largely failed to live up to his demands since moving to Anfield, with many questioning his impact at the club.
He played 47 games in all competitions, but scored just five different goals – highlighting his lack of impact in the final third.
Like Gakpo, he has struggled to establish himself under the slot since early on, with the 28-year-old having played just 25 minutes in the league since the start of March.
However, his stats in the ongoing campaign show his struggles, as Ngumoha is the player who could end Chiesa’s two years on Merseyside.
The former Juventus star managed to finish 71% of his attempts – putting him in the bottom 8% of the league.
|
Federico Chiesa – PL Statistics (2025/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
Mathematics (90 percentile) |
Mathematics |
|
Games played |
23 |
|
The games have started |
1 |
|
Terms & Conditions |
3 |
|
Pass accuracy |
71% |
|
Opportunities are created |
0.9 |
|
Dribbles are finished |
18% |
|
Duels won |
37% |
|
Mistakes have been made |
2.9 |
He has created just 0.9 chances per 90 so far this season, while completing just 18% of his attempts – and ranks him in the bottom 7% of players in the Premier League.
Chiesa has struggled to outscore opponents over the past few months, as evidenced by his average win rate of 37% – the second lowest of any player on the team.
The aforementioned statistics produced by the Italian in recent times highlight how disappointing he has been at the Reds, and what he lacks.
However, Ngumoha’s clash against the Cottagers yesterday will reduce his game time, as the youngster needs to start for a long time in the upcoming games.
At just 17 years old, he is the future of the football team, and Slot needs to rely on the boy to help him reach the heights he is capable of.
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