LIVERPOOL CAPTAIN VIRGIL van Dijk said the hard work has only just begun for 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha after his dramatic winning goal rescued the Premier League champions in a 3-2 victory at Newcastle.
Ngumoha became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer on his debut after coming off the bench to net in the 100th minute at a frenzied St James’ Park on Monday.
Liverpool had led 2-0 against 10 men thanks to goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, either side of Anthony Gordon’s red card.
Newcastle were fuelled all night by a sense of anger over Liverpool’s pursuit of their star striker Alexander Isak, who was absent due to his desire to leave the club.
The Magpies battled back despite their numerical disadvantage through goals from Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula.
But Ngumoha, who impressed in pre-season for the Reds, finished off a fine Liverpool move deep into stoppage time to make it two wins from two games of their title defence.
“It’s a dream debut for him,” said Van Dijk.
“I’m very pleased for Rio, I’ve said it to him already it all starts now, he has to keep working hard and stay humble but definitely have to enjoy this because these nights, you can’t take them for granted if you’re in his position.
“I’m sure with the players we have he will be back in training and having a hard session tomorrow again.”
Ngumoha said he will not “get too carried away with all the noise” after the “crazy” feeling of his winning goal.
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“I was happy to score, I’m buzzing,” Ngumoha told TalkSPORT. “I heard them screaming my name and that’s a very sensational moment.
“But you just can’t get too carried away with all the noise, because at the end of the day I probably do that finish 100 times on the training ground.
“So it’s no different with the fans (here). But the fans backing you there is just crazy.”
Ngumoha was born in Newham in East London on August 29, 2008 and turns 17 on Friday.
He joined Chelsea’s academy at the age of eight and moved to Liverpool in the summer of 2024.
Ngumoha said: “I’m 16 but I don’t want my age to show that I can’t play with the older players. I want to prove that I can play with people not just my age, many ages above.
“People at the club are always helping me and I’m always learning and improving.
“Normally, last season especially, the Academy coaches and even the first-team coaches, are always saying, ‘Make the back post, make the back post’.
“The fact that I made the back post is just crazy…when I saw it with Mo (Salah) and then Dom (Szoboszlai) putting it through his legs, I was like one-v-one and I just smashed it.”
Ngumoha’s winner came after Liverpool had let slip a two-goal lead against 10-man Newcastle, who had Gordon sent off at the end of the first half.
He said: “The mentality is one thing that shouldn’t get overlooked. Being mentally strong, us coming back and really believing in ourselves, that’s what the champions are about.”
Van Dijk said the stand-off between the clubs over Isak’s future had poured “oil on the fire” of an already typically ferocious atmosphere at St James’ Park.
“We all know it’s a difficult place to come. We know there was a lot of oil on the fire this week to get Newcastle fired up,” added the Dutch defender.
“What happened tonight was expected and, for us, the disappointing part was that we conceded two set pieces. That shouldn’t happen but overall great three points.”
The Dutchman had little sympathy for Gordon, who was dismissed for a challenge on Van Dijk.
On the incident, he said: “I said to him if that’s not a sending off then I don’t understand football. Unfortunately these things happen in football. If he meant it or not, it happened.”
Arne Slot was delighted to emerge from a remarkable game with three points, but admitted his side had been lucky to get them.
Asked about Ngumoha’s last-gasp winner, he said: “It’s of course special for him to score a goal in a moment like this.
“We know how it feels – last season, we conceded [at Newcastle] in the 89th minute, and now we were the lucky ones because that’s what we were. We were lucky to get a win over the line.
“This means more to me than when we play good football because tonight had, for me, nothing to do with tactics or good football. It was just a great game to watch, but not because of tactics or good football, but because every single second of the game, everybody was at the front of their seat.”
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'I probably do that finish 100 times on the training ground' - Liverpool's teenage hero on dream goal
LAST UPDATE | 26 Aug 2025
LIVERPOOL CAPTAIN VIRGIL van Dijk said the hard work has only just begun for 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha after his dramatic winning goal rescued the Premier League champions in a 3-2 victory at Newcastle.
Ngumoha became the club’s youngest ever goalscorer on his debut after coming off the bench to net in the 100th minute at a frenzied St James’ Park on Monday.
Liverpool had led 2-0 against 10 men thanks to goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, either side of Anthony Gordon’s red card.
Newcastle were fuelled all night by a sense of anger over Liverpool’s pursuit of their star striker Alexander Isak, who was absent due to his desire to leave the club.
The Magpies battled back despite their numerical disadvantage through goals from Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula.
But Ngumoha, who impressed in pre-season for the Reds, finished off a fine Liverpool move deep into stoppage time to make it two wins from two games of their title defence.
“It’s a dream debut for him,” said Van Dijk.
“I’m very pleased for Rio, I’ve said it to him already it all starts now, he has to keep working hard and stay humble but definitely have to enjoy this because these nights, you can’t take them for granted if you’re in his position.
“I’m sure with the players we have he will be back in training and having a hard session tomorrow again.”
Ngumoha said he will not “get too carried away with all the noise” after the “crazy” feeling of his winning goal.
“I was happy to score, I’m buzzing,” Ngumoha told TalkSPORT. “I heard them screaming my name and that’s a very sensational moment.
“But you just can’t get too carried away with all the noise, because at the end of the day I probably do that finish 100 times on the training ground.
“So it’s no different with the fans (here). But the fans backing you there is just crazy.”
Ngumoha was born in Newham in East London on August 29, 2008 and turns 17 on Friday.
He joined Chelsea’s academy at the age of eight and moved to Liverpool in the summer of 2024.
Ngumoha said: “I’m 16 but I don’t want my age to show that I can’t play with the older players. I want to prove that I can play with people not just my age, many ages above.
“People at the club are always helping me and I’m always learning and improving.
“Normally, last season especially, the Academy coaches and even the first-team coaches, are always saying, ‘Make the back post, make the back post’.
“The fact that I made the back post is just crazy…when I saw it with Mo (Salah) and then Dom (Szoboszlai) putting it through his legs, I was like one-v-one and I just smashed it.”
Ngumoha’s winner came after Liverpool had let slip a two-goal lead against 10-man Newcastle, who had Gordon sent off at the end of the first half.
He said: “The mentality is one thing that shouldn’t get overlooked. Being mentally strong, us coming back and really believing in ourselves, that’s what the champions are about.”
Van Dijk said the stand-off between the clubs over Isak’s future had poured “oil on the fire” of an already typically ferocious atmosphere at St James’ Park.
“We all know it’s a difficult place to come. We know there was a lot of oil on the fire this week to get Newcastle fired up,” added the Dutch defender.
“What happened tonight was expected and, for us, the disappointing part was that we conceded two set pieces. That shouldn’t happen but overall great three points.”
The Dutchman had little sympathy for Gordon, who was dismissed for a challenge on Van Dijk.
On the incident, he said: “I said to him if that’s not a sending off then I don’t understand football. Unfortunately these things happen in football. If he meant it or not, it happened.”
Arne Slot was delighted to emerge from a remarkable game with three points, but admitted his side had been lucky to get them.
Asked about Ngumoha’s last-gasp winner, he said: “It’s of course special for him to score a goal in a moment like this.
“We know how it feels – last season, we conceded [at Newcastle] in the 89th minute, and now we were the lucky ones because that’s what we were. We were lucky to get a win over the line.
“This means more to me than when we play good football because tonight had, for me, nothing to do with tactics or good football. It was just a great game to watch, but not because of tactics or good football, but because every single second of the game, everybody was at the front of their seat.”
– © AFP 2025
With reporting from Press Association
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