Liverpool news: Rio Ngumoha's 'stagnation' warning to Arne Slot as Cody Gakpo excuses run dry

Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha has warned Arne Slot about the potential for 'stagnation' as he endeavours to increase his minutes for the Reds.

The 2008-born talent has become an immediate fan favourite since arriving from Chelsea's academy and was a key influence in their 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in Sunday's Premier League clash.

Ngumoha played a critical part in Alexis Mac Allister's freak disallowed goal, created one big chance and completed two successful dribbles during his City Ground cameo, but he has had to grow accustomed to second-half introductions.

Ngumoha has made 15 senior appearances for Liverpool this season, but only three have come from the start - two in the EFL Cup and one in the FA Cup.

In the Premier League alone, Ngumoha has played just 89 minutes through nine substitute appearances, leading some Liverpool fans to criticise Slot for his perceived under-use of the 17-year-old.

Rio Ngumoha: 'If you don't play, you can stagnate'

Supporters have taken aim at the manager for persisting with Cody Gakpo, who has failed to score or assist seven straight Premier League appearances but remains in favour with his manager over Ngumoha.

In quotes attributed to The Athletic, the Englishman expressed a willingness to drop back down to Under-21 level to earn plentiful minutes, as he is concerned about the prospect of plateauing without enough game time.

"I feel like if you are not playing as much then you can stagnate. So I am available to play any games," said Ngumoha, who has only made two appearances for Liverpool's Under-21s in the current campaign.

The youngster expressed an understandable desire to increase his minutes, but also affirmed that he is happy with his situation on the whole, adding: "I just need to keep pushing and keep gaining the manager’s trust and hopefully that leads to more minutes.

"I can’t ask for much more as a young kid. So I just think I need to carry on proving, working hard in training and showing what I can do to the manager. I just try to help the team. It’s all I can do, just put balls into the box whenever the manager needs me."

Arne Slot is running out of Rio Ngumoha excuses

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said it best on Sunday, claiming that Ngumoha did more against Nottingham Forest in 15 minutes than Gakpo and Mohamed Salah had done in 75 before that.

Gakpo has nearly 10 years on his 2008-born counterpart, and no-one is asking Slot to drop the Dutchman every week in favour of Ngumoha, whose development needs to be carefully managed at his tender age.

However, the teenager has done more than enough to justify at least one Premier League or Champions League start up to this point - his displays at Newcastle United and Bournemouth were enough proof of that before Sunday.

If Gakpo continues to toil on the left, and if Ngumoha continues to terrorise defences during his brief substitute appearances, Slot will soon run out of excuses not to start the teenage phenom.