Liverpool’s team sheet for their third-round FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley was eye-catching for two reasons; the inclusion of 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha and the exclusion of Federico Chiesa from the starting XI.
Ngumoha became the youngest player to start a match for the club (16 years and 135 days). Only Jerome Sinclair (16 years and six days) has featured at a younger age, doing so as a substitute. It marked the start of what is hoped will be a long, successful career on Merseyside.
Chiesa, who had to watch the first half from the bench, would be forgiven for contemplating whether his Liverpool career will ever really get going.
This had looked like the most obvious opportunity to give the 27-year-old his first start since the Carabao Cup third-round victory over West Ham United in September. Conditioning, fitness issues, injury and illness have all added to the winger’s prolonged adaptation since his £10.6million ($13m) summer arrival from Juventus, limiting him to four appearances in 2024.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has fielded questions for months about Chiesa’s fitness and playing opportunities, but his omission was enforced on this occasion. Slot said illness prevented him starting this game ahead of Ngumoha.
Chiesa had not trained in the two days leading up to the fixture so while he missed another starting opportunity, it gave the England youth international a chance to impress.
There has been plenty of excitement and talk surrounding the 16-year-old since his arrival from Chelsea in the summer. His previous club were very disappointed to lose him and he was tracked by Manchester City and Manchester United, before Liverpool secured his signature.
Having been at one of the top academies in the country, Liverpool were able to fast-track his settling-in period and have given him opportunities in different age groups. His attitude immediately impressed club staff and his performances at under-18 and under-21 level have earned him the opportunity to train regularly with the senior team.
It was clear early on that he was not going to be overawed. After five minutes he skipped past a couple of Accrington players, earning applause from the Anfield crowd, the first of many driving runs forward.
He was the bright spark in a first-half Liverpool performance that was largely flat and pedestrian against a disciplined opponent. Every time he picked up the ball, however, the tempo increased.
His fearlessness grew. He constantly made himself available and aimed to bamboozle Donald Love and Josh Woods, who were tasked with stopping him. The body feints, the sharp turns, quick feet and stepovers were all on show.
It was often raw and sometimes untidy, but there were moments of poise too. A brilliant piece of skill got him out of a tight situation near the touchline and again the crowd’s delight could be heard.
Rio Ngumoha showed his attacking potential in the early stages against Accrington (Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
After an exciting opening half an hour, Ngumoha began to fade and he was limited to only a handful of involvements from that point until he was substituted on 72 minutes.
“He has been with us now for half a season,” Slot said in his post-match press conference. “Every time when he comes training with us we see what his qualities are. He can dominate in one-versus-one situations. He is very quick on his feet and can change direction very fast.
“I am always happy if a player makes his debut that he shows what we see on the training ground. The fans could see it and they liked what they saw. You could feel that in the stadium in the first half already and when I took him out, the reaction of the fans, they liked what they saw. Special day for him, making your debut, win and he will sleep well tonight, I assume.”
Chiesa had been introduced at half-time for Dominik Szoboszlai and arrived on the pitch with a purpose. With pressure on him to impress, he constantly had his hand in the air asking for the ball.
With the game more open and Accrington beginning to take more risks, Chiesa was able to take advantage of the space left vacant down the away side’s right. Neat link-up play was combined with direct ball-carrying as he repeatedly advanced Liverpool into dangerous areas.
The winger had been getting closer to scoring as the half wore on too. Two shots were deflected into the side netting before his shot was saved by Billy Crellin when played in by Jayden Danns. Fortunately the ball fell back to Danns and he finished off the move.
Chiesa had time to hit the post before eventually finding the back of the net in the 90th minute with a low drive from around 20 yards out to score Liverpool’s fourth and his first for the club.
“If you’ve played for this club already you want to score your first goal, especially in front of your own fans,” Slot said.
“That’s what he did so that’s a good step. Let’s not get carried away too much because, although I liked the way Accrington played a lot, it is in the end a League Two team. It is definitely a good next step for him to be available and score a goal.”
Regardless of the opposition, it could prove to be a significant moment in Chiesa’s Liverpool career. Had he turned in a performance that failed to whet the appetite, then concerns would have grown further — but instead he provided a timely reminder of the qualities he possesses.
True judgement will be reserved for when he is trusted to feature against more testing opposition and the stakes are much higher than an FA Cup third-round tie that was all but won already.
Still, this was a glimpse into what Chiesa might be able to offer if he can continue to be available. It could be the boost Liverpool need as they prepare for the challenges to come in the second half of the season.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
