Teenage winger Rio Ngumoha announced himself to the Champions League as Liverpool extended their 100% record the hard way as they came from two goals down to beat Villarreal 4-3.
A night which began terribly with a Virgil van Dijk mistake ended with plenty of positives for the hosts as 18-year-old Ngumoha took the starring role as Alexis Mac Allister scored twice and Florian Wirtz grabbed his first since April.
Andoni Iraola’s team are establishing themselves as Europe’s great entertainers as after six goals at LASK last week another four left them behind only Paris St Germain in the table and as the competition’s top scorers.
Having changed the game as a second-half substitute at Brentford on Saturday, Ngumoha returned to the starting line-up as one of six changes after another injury denied them Víctor Muñoz.
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But in a chastening first half-hour the 18-year-old was not immune from the malaise which affected the team as, after Van Dijk headed into the path of Georges Mikautadze for the opener, he failed to track his runner allowing Sergi Cardona to double the lead.
After that, Ngumoha proceeded to make the Villarreal left back’s life a misery with a captivating performance of pacy dribbling.
He crossed for Ronald Araújo to equalise on the stroke of halftime, the on-loan Barcelona defender disappearing into the front row of the Anfield Road stand where he was mobbed by fans, after Mac Allister’s flicked header had reduced the deficit.
Ngumoha returned even more threatening after the break and from one of a number of attacking drives which tormented Cardona Mac Allister rammed home from close range.
Anfield hailed the youngster’s mercurial talent and he departed to a 74th-minute standing ovation, with Duran Duran’s “Rio” played at the final whistle.
