Ngumoha shows promise to fuel Anfield's optimism

Young winger shines in rout as Liverpool return home to pay respects to Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva

- Andy Hunter

A vacancy has arisen on the left of Liverpool's forward line and an early, eye-catching application to fill the role has arrived from a 16-year-old. Rio Ngumoha further enhanced his first-team claims with a sparkling display against Athletic Bilbao that underlined the formidable strength, and options, available to Arne Slot.

Ngumoha opened the scoring superbly and teed up a second goal for Darwin Núñez inside five minutes at Anfield in the first of two pre-season friendlies against the Basque club.

A packed Anfield crowd had to wait for the second fixture to catch a first glimpse of new signings Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Hugo Ekitiké and Jeremie Frimpong. Ngumoha kept them entertained and whetted the appetite before their appearances as Liverpool recorded a comfortable 4-1 win in match one.

The left winger is not eligible to sign a professional contract until he turns 17 on the 29th of this month but showed why Chelsea were livid when Liverpool tempted him away from their academy last summer.

In the second minute of his second senior appearance at Anfield the teenager, who made his full debut against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup last season, set off from halfway and, with Athletic defenders all in retreat, curled a finish into the bottom corner of the Kop goal from 20 yards.