Arne Slot explains Rio Ngumoha substitution in Chelsea draw as Liverpool handed new injury scare

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed that wounded played a portion successful his determination to instrumentality Rio Ngumoha disconnected during Saturday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea.

Calum McFarlane's broadside ended their six-game Premier League losing tally successful beforehand of a disgruntled Anfield crowd, who were astatine slightest successful bully spirits erstwhile Ryan Gravenberch opened the scoring aboriginal doors.

However, Enzo Fernandez's escaped footwear deceived everyone arsenic Chelsea soon equalised successful beforehand of the Kop end, and the visitors besides had a Cole Palmer onslaught disallowed for offside.

Boos rang retired astatine afloat clip arsenic Liverpool failed to triumph a 19th Premier League crippled this season, and the location assemblage besides targeted Slot erstwhile the caput manager withdrew Ngumoha for Alexander Isak midway done the 2nd half.

Seventeen-year-old Ngumoha had provided the assistance for Gravenberch's onslaught and was a lively spark each afternoon, completing 4 dribbles from 5 attempts and registering 2 progressive carries.

Arne Slot: 'Rio Ngumoha was having musculus problems'

Slot's determination to instrumentality disconnected Ngumoha was not purely tactical, though, arsenic the Liverpool brag explained successful his post-game property league that the teen was dealing with muscular issues during the game.

"He was having problems with his muscles and erstwhile I asked him helium said helium was not definite helium could continue," Slot replied erstwhile quizzed connected the Ngumoha-Isak change.

"I knew this would beryllium the absorption due to the fact that helium is specified a bully player. So often successful football, radical don't cognize everything. I americium the manager and I request to marque decisions."

Ngumoha's assistance for Gravenberch was the youngster's 3rd Premier League extremity publication of the season, and 1 that whitethorn inactive beryllium capable to unafraid Champions League shot for Liverpool this weekend.

The Reds person 59 points, 7 much than Bournemouth, 8 much than Brentford and 9 much than Brighton & Hove Albion, and truthful their top-five decorativeness volition beryllium secured if the Cherries suffer to Fulham and the second 2 teams besides driblet points.

Arne Slot was close to instrumentality disconnected Rio Ngumoha

Liverpool fans emotion Ngumoha, and with bully reason; the 2008-born imaginable departed the Chelsea academy to articulation the Reds and has seldom fto the squad down erstwhile fixed a accidental this season.

However, the Anfield faithful person not taken truthful kindly to Cody Gakpo, adjacent though the Dutchman had registered 3 extremity involvements successful 4 Premier League games up of the weekend.

Gakpo would person inactive been supporters' archetypal prime to instrumentality off, but the 27-year-old has acquisition connected his side, whereas the fledgling Ngumoha is inactive growing.

Liverpool cannot repetition the aforesaid mistakes that Barcelona made with Ansu Fati, who has experienced a multitude of wounded problems aft being fast-tracked to the archetypal team, oregon Gavi, who has played conscionable 317 La Liga minutes this season.

Managers person a work of attraction to each players, but particularly those who are not adjacent adults yet, and Slot made the close determination to instrumentality disconnected Ngumoha - nevertheless unpopular it was.