On the day during which Mohamed Salah introduced himself at Trabzonspor with a brace, the Egyptian’s former aspect Liverpool showcased that this new-look ahead line remains to be discovering its ft in his absence.
A lot of the scrutiny following Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle United was centred round Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, and rightly so, but there stays intrigue relating to the scenario on the flanks.
Certainly, the Reds’ greatest attacking risk arguably got here from Cody Gakpo off the left, the Dutchman opening his account for the brand new League season regardless of ongoing hyperlinks to each Manchester Metropolis and Tottenham Hotspur.
On the alternative wing, the choice to stick with teenage sensation, Rio Ngumoha, in a right-wing function seemingly backfired, with Andoni Iraola left with a lot to ponder relating to the configuration of his attacking unit.
Ngumoha’s disappointing Newcastle show in numbers
Ngumoha, nonetheless solely 17, returned to the scene of his breakout second in a Liverpool shirt on the weekend, having memorably scored that last-gasp winner towards the Magpies a 12 months earlier.
The ex-Chelsea speedster had largely remained on the periphery thereafter below Arne Slot, but with Salah out the door, he appears to be like set to be a trusted a part of Iraola’s squad.
The Spaniard’s willingness to place Ngumoha in from the beginning at St James’ Park is a credit score each to him and to {the teenager}, but the usage of Ngumoha on the fitting flank did not do anybody any favours, it have to be mentioned.
Usually so deadly when slicing in off the left, the one-cap England worldwide regarded moderately blunt on this new function, stored out of the sport by the largely spectacular Lewis Corridor.
It took the introduction of recent man Victor Munoz for Corridor to lastly be overwhelmed, with Ngumoha unable to essentially discover any pleasure up towards his compatriot, earlier than his withdrawal on the hour mark.
|
Ngumoha vs Munoz – @Newcastle |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Ngumoha |
Stat |
Munoz |
|
27 |
Minutes |
63 |
|
16 |
Touches |
21 |
|
2 |
Photographs |
1 |
|
5/6 |
Passes |
10/13 |
|
0 |
Key passes |
0 |
|
5 |
Ball misplaced |
7 |
|
0/0 |
Succ. dribbles |
0/1 |
|
2/4 |
Succ. crosses |
1/2 |
|
5 |
Carries |
12 |
|
1/1 |
Floor duels received |
2/5 |
|
1 |
Fouls received |
1 |
In all, {the teenager} was restricted to a measly 21 touches, dropping the ball on seven events, having additionally failed to finish a profitable dribble on the day.
He solely accomplished one cross, registered only a single shot and failed to supply a key go, enduring a troublesome afternoon on the workplace, it have to be mentioned.
There is not any query that Ngumoha is a celebrity within the making, however Sunday’s efficiency highlighted why a extra confirmed possibility is required on that proper flank shifting ahead.
How Liverpool can lastly exchange Salah earlier than the deadline
It is no secret that Liverpool are intent on signing Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, though the Frenchman is prone to be an answer off the left.
An exit for Iraola’s present main possibility on that aspect, Gakpo, is barely set to be sanctioned if two new wingers enter the constructing, nonetheless, with Barcola and one different seemingly the purpose.
By all accounts, that participant may effectively be Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh, with Fabrizio Romano – talking on his YouTube channel – reporting that the Reds are nonetheless in talks with the 22-year-old’s representatives.
He mentioned: “Liverpool will solely give the inexperienced mild to the exit of Cody Gakpo in these last days of the summer season switch window if they’ll signal two wingers.”
Romano continued: “The highest precedence is Bradley Barcola, that deal stays completely on, after which another winger. They’d conversations lately, two bids for Yankuba Minteh. They’re nonetheless speaking with the agent, they’ve options, so Liverpool are engaged on two wingers.”
Sunday’s stalemate with Newcastle confirmed the necessity for reinforcements, with there a way of irony that it might be a former Magpie who Liverpool search to get within the door, with Minteh having been bought on by the Tynesiders in 2024.
Moved on, alongside Elliot Anderson, amid the necessity to meet PSR rules, the Gambian speedster by no means truly made a aggressive look for Newcastle, as an alternative spending the 2023/24 season on mortgage at Arne Slot’s Feyenoord.
Now reportedly valued at £70m, it has been a fast rise for Minteh over the previous couple of seasons, with there sufficient proof to recommend he would characterize a direct improve on Ngumoha, within the short-term not less than.
A pure right-winger, the left-footer notably sparkled throughout his 12 months in Holland, scoring ten and helping an additional 5 regardless of solely beginning 17 Eredivisie video games that marketing campaign.
Since shifting to the Amex, he is left Newcastle regretting their resolution to promote, ending 2024/25 with ten objectives and assists within the Premier League, earlier than including an additional seven final outing.
Throughout 2025/26 too, he additionally created 11 ‘large possibilities’, averaged 1.4 key passes per sport and a stellar 1.9 profitable dribbles per sport. For context, he was solely behind Jeremy Doku and Iliman Ndiaye by way of complete profitable dribbles accomplished within the prime flight in 2025/26.
In Ngumoha’s case, it’s considerably unfair to match, contemplating his restricted sport time, but he ended final season with simply three objectives and assists, having created simply three ‘large possibilities’.
When it comes to key passes and profitable dribbles, the Liverpool starlet averaged simply 0.8 and 1.6 for those self same two metrics, respectively.
In essence, it feels a bit quickly to be placing fairly a lot accountability on Ngumoha’s shoulders, notably in a task that does not seem to play to his strengths.
For that cause, bringing Minteh into the fold might be the best approach for Iraola to try to fill Salah’s void extra intently.
