As shown by his decision to bench Mohamed Salah after a poor run of form compounded by the forward’s incendiary comments following the draw with Leeds United, Liverpool boss Arne Slot has repeatedly demonstrated that no player is bigger than the club — and that no starting XI spot is ever guaranteed.
That’s why many Reds supporters have been puzzled by the manager’s apparent reluctance to sit Cody Gakpo, who is currently enduring one of his most difficult spells in a Liverpool shirt.
Granted, Gakpo is a Premier League–winning player who has delivered crucial contributions since arriving at Anfield and has been nothing but a committed servant to the club.
However, based on what youngster Rio Ngumoha has shown in recent weeks, it should not be controversial to suggest that the 17-year-old deserves the nod for this weekend’s clash with West Ham United at Anfield.
A low risk, high-reward opportunity
In his last two appearances off the bench, Ngumoha has already shown how decisive he can be.
He had a goal ruled out for offside against Brighton — one that may well have stood had VAR been in use in the FA Cup — and came within inches of supplying a match-winning assist against Forest, only for Hugo Ekitike to miss what was, realistically, a highly-finishable chance.
Add those flashes to his still-unforgettable winner against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park, and the winger has already produced tangible proof of how he can influence matches in limited minutes.
It hardly requires a leap of imagination to wonder what he might do with a start.
With West Ham, a side hovering in the relegation places and one Liverpool have routinely overpowered in recent seasons, traveling to Merseyside on Saturday, the occasion presents a clear low-risk, high-reward opportunity to begin integrating Ngumoha alongside established first-team regulars such as Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk.
I’m not even asking for a full 90 minutes if it doesn’t click. Granted, the match still carries major weight as Liverpool continue their push for a place in next season’s Champions League. If Rio isn’t quite ready for the occasion and needs to be withdrawn in the second half, so be it.
But at the very least, give him the opportunity to seize the moment and make something happen, which Gakpo has simply failed to do as of late.
I’m not one to pile on a player during a rough spell, but the comparison is unavoidable. While Rio has come within touching distance of two goal contributions in less than half an hour combined across his last two outings, Cody has now gone 564 (!) minutes of Premier League action since registering his last G/A.
Those numbers simply aren’t good enough for a first-team regular — especially one with years more experience than Rio.
If Rio gets the nod on Saturday, it’s a scenario where almost everyone stands to benefit. The youngster, of course, earns his first league start.
Arne Slot would be rewarded for showing the courage to trust youth in a match that is important, yet eminently winnable. The supporters would feel their calls for merit-based selection have been acknowledged.
And while it may not immediately feel like a victory for Gakpo, healthy competition rarely does. But, watching Rio — a player who, on current form, has a legitimate claim to start — could be exactly the spark needed to reignite his consistency and sharpen his edge.
Timing is everything in a young player’s development, and for the most part, I’ve applauded the club’s caution in ensuring such a promising talent isn’t overexposed or burned out too soon.
But the moment genuinely feels like it has arrived. On current evidence, there are tangible, on-pitch qualities Rio is displaying that Cody Gakpo simply has not been able to provide in recent weeks.
A differing skillset
Beyond what shows up on the stat sheet, there have been numerous moments where Rio has demonstrated a range of skills and instincts that Cody has struggled to replicate at any point this season.
First — and perhaps most noticeable — is Rio’s ability to inject an unpredictable spark into his play.
It’s a stark contrast to Gakpo’s signature, but recently bland “cut to the right” move, which, while effective in the past, has become all but telegraphed to Premier League defenders this season.
Consider the aforementioned sequence against Nottingham Forest: in a single passage, Rio dances over the ball with both feet which keeps the defender guessing, takes an unexpected touch further upfield, and then delivers a perfectly weighted ball into the box. It feels like it’s been ages since we’ve seen Cody display that kind of flair en route to a big moment.
It’s also worth noting exactly where on the pitch that passage of play occurred.
It may seem like a small detail, but when he first engages Nico Williams, Rio is firmly stationed on the right flank.
Asking a 17-year-old to step into a game as a left-wing substitute might have been too much for many young players — yet not only did Rio nearly create a decisive moment, he did it from a position that should feel unnatural. It’s the kind of play that’s simply beyond his years.
While Gakpo has occasionally been asked to play as a center forward this season — and, to be fair, he delivered what should have been a late equalizer against Fulham while shouldering that role — he has simply not demonstrated enough positional versatility throughout the campaign.
It’s a small sample size, but Rio appears comfortable operating virtually anywhere in the attacking third, whereas Cody remains largely tethered to the left-hand side for the majority of matches.
This isn’t to say I’ve given up on Cody turning his form around during the crucial final stretch of the season.
But given that Arne Slot has struggled to extract consistent output from his wingers this campaign, what does he really have to lose by giving a clearly talented player a chance?