Liverpool FC’s Rio Ngumoha produced a stunning performance as the Reds came from behind to overturn a 2-0 lead and win 4-3 against Villarreal at Anfield.
Rio was a menace, gliding past defenders at will, in what will definitely be considered a breakthrough performance at the end of the season.
On
his performance for the night, Rio had this to say:
“It was a top performance from the boys. We were two goals down but the mentality was always there. We knew we were going to win.”
“It’s up there with one of the best I’ve played. I enjoyed myself and the team helped me a lot.”
“Whenever I get the ball and there’s an opportunity to go one-v-one or two-v-one, I believe in myself. I’ll just keep going and be ruthless.”
“Slowly and slowly I’m getting better on the right. It’s helped me a lot in training with the gaffer, the coaching staff and the players.”
“We have the best fans in the world and to hear my name chanted is a dream.”
Teammate Alexis Mac Allister was also effusive in his praise for the kid:
“Look at Rio, he was amazing tonight. He made the difference! It is clear the quality he has. Everyone knows. It is easy to say he’s a good player but we’ve to focus on other things. He worked really hard off the ball, that is important for us.”
Liverpool legends Rafa Benitez and Robbie Fowler were also on commentary for the Amazon Prime broadcast and they both chimed in:
Fowler:
“It wasn’t a statement performance from Liverpool but it was a statement performance from [Rio Ngumoha]. I think we said early in the game that Liverpool were out of sorts, not playing really well, they were sloppy and giving the ball away, but there was one player you could count on in that first half, that could make something happen, and he carried on in the second half. He was a big big difference. When Florian Wirtz came on he was a big big player [too], but for the full 70 minutes that he was on, Rio Ngumoha was outstanding.”
Benitez:
“I saw [Rio Ngumoha] before, and to be fair today he was much better [tonight]. The last game that I saw him he wasn’t passing players so easily, today he was ruthless, he was cunning, and he was passing players. You talk about his position on the left side and the right side. I think on the right side he can pass players wide, and if you go wide you cannot cover, so he can make crosses, he can make passes. Maybe he’ll score less goals but I think he can make a difference.”
What a performance by the lad and maybe, Liverpool have just solved their right-winger “problem”.
