Rio Ngumoha is on the right way to earning more minutes in the Liverpool first-team and emulating Raheem Sterling.
That’s according to former Reds defender Martin Kelly, who was part of the senior squad Sterling broke into during the 2011/12 campaign.
Analysing some similarities between the two youngsters for The Official Liverpool FC Podcast, Kelly explained why Arne Slot‘s decision to limit the minutes of Ngumoha could end up paying off in the long run.
Discuss: Mac Allister cannot be a starter next season
His legs look like they've gone! Who should replace him?
Ngumoha breakthrough matches Sterling – Kelly
Many supporters have been keen to see Ngumoha feature more this season and have been frustrated by Slot’s decision to ease the 17-year-old in.
But, according to Kelly, this was a similar tactic used by Kenny Dalglish and Brendan Rodgers when bringing Sterling through from the Liverpool academy as a teenager.
“I think the one thing on that was when Raheem stepped up and made his breakthrough season when he was 17, he only played a handful of games and then the next season he played 28,” said the former right-back.
“He’s following right in the footsteps of that and I do compare him to Raheem in many ways in the sense that he does need that game time.”
READ MORE: Daniel Sturridge’s ‘special’ prediction after watching Rio Ngumoha vs Tottenham
“He’s that explosive, he gives that much when he’s got the ball, he’s not wanting to even pass it and move, he wants to get straight at the defender. It takes so much out of you doing that.”
With Liverpool at a similarly low ebb during the 2011/12 campaign, Dalglish actually only used Sterling three times. The following season under Rodgers, the then 19-year-old played 36 times. Sterling then became a more important player for the Reds during his third season with the first-team.
Pick the better Liverpool manager
Current feelings for Slot aside, has he been better than Benitez?
For comparison, Ngumoha clocked in his 19th appearance of the campaign on Sunday having already played once last season. As his game time continues to move in an upward trajectory, it might be that he has a full Sterling-style breakthrough next season.
If he can hit the heights of Sterling, it will in part be thanks to Slot’s careful management of his minutes up to this point. The Dutchman is trying to ensure Ngumoha hits an early peak at just the right time, and as the now Feyenoord winger showed through a stellar Premier League career, that can be no bad thing.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
