Liverpool’s all-time great Steven Gerrard has called for a significant tactical shift following the club’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night. Analyzing the performance for TNT Sports, Gerrard insisted that manager Arne Slot must prioritize youth over experience by handing 17-year-old sensation Rio Ngumoha a starting role in the upcoming FA Cup fixture. The recommendation comes after Cody Gakpo’s ineffective display at Molineux, where the Dutch international struggled to influence the game from the left wing before being substituted late in the second half.
Despite a spirited second-half equalizer from Mohamed Salah, the reigning Premier League champions were unable to prevent a late winner from Wolves, leaving the Reds in fifth place and trailing the Champions League qualification spots. Gerrard noted that Ngumoha’s brief appearance as a substitute provided more offensive threat and dynamism than Gakpo managed during his entire 65-minute stint. With a crucial FA Cup fifth-round rematch against the same opposition looming this Friday, the former captain believes the time is right for a bold selection choice.
“He [Slot] has to start Ngumoha now. He has to start him because he is coming on and he is doing more in a short cameo in a short space of time than Gakpo’s doing in 65, 70 minutes,” Gerrard said.
The pressure on Slot to revitalize a stagnant attack has intensified following this latest domestic slip-up. While Gakpo has been a regular fixture in the starting XI throughout the 2025/26 campaign, his lack of recent output has drawn scrutiny from pundits and supporters alike. Gerrard argued that rewarding the “fearless” performances of academy graduates like Ngumoha is essential to restoring the high-tempo style that has historically defined the club’s success.
“He deserves to start now. He’s got to start the kid on Friday night [in the FA Cup].”
As Liverpool prepares to return to Molineux for the second time in four days, the focus shifts to whether Slot will heed the advice of the club’s most iconic figure. With the Premier League title race slipping further away, the FA Cup represents a vital opportunity for silverware, and Gerrard remains convinced that the “spark” provided by the teenage winger is exactly what the first team requires to turn their fortunes around. For Ngumoha, a starting berth on Friday would represent a landmark moment in his breakout season after arriving from Chelsea’s academy just over a year ago.
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