Liverpool beat Fulham 2-0 at Anfield on Saturday, and the result was comfortable enough. But the reason people will remember this one is Rio Ngumoha. At 17 years and 225 days old, he became Liverpool's youngest ever Premier League scorer at Anfield when he opened the scoring in the 36th minute — taking a Florian Wirtz pass, shifting onto his right foot, and curling into the far corner as if he'd done it a hundred times before. Mohamed Salah added a second four minutes later and that was that.
Wirtz creates, Ngumoha delivers
Wirtz drove forward in the 36th minute and slipped a perfectly weighted ball into the inside-left channel for Ngumoha. The teenager took one touch to set himself, then curled low across Timothy Castagne and into the far corner. It was a very good finish — the kind that requires composure the moment the ball arrives, not just the instant you pull the trigger. Ngumoha hasn't sat a GCSE exam yet. He's playing Premier League football at Anfield and scoring goals that look like that. The crowd's reaction said more than the scoreline did.
Salah puts the game to bed
Four minutes later, Ngumoha was involved again. His movement through midfield opened up the angle for Cody Gakpo to receive and lay off for Salah arriving at the far post, who clipped it home across goal. His 23rd Premier League goal of the season. At 34, Salah shows no interest in slowing down, which remains one of the more remarkable things happening in English football right now. There was nothing Fulham could do about either goal, and they didn't really threaten a response.
Comfortable from there
The second half was a non-event, which was by design. Arne Slot used it to rotate, keeping players fresh for a busy April. Alisson barely had a save to make. Fulham, who have been solid since January, simply couldn't find a way in. Liverpool stay third and are out of the title race at this point, but afternoons like this one raise a different kind of question: what does this squad look like in two or three years, with Ngumoha starting regularly alongside players of Wirtz's quality? Worth thinking about.
Result: Liverpool 2-0 Fulham | Goals: Ngumoha (36'); Salah (40') | Assists: Wirtz; Gakpo | Venue: Anfield | Competition: Premier League, Matchday 32
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