NEWCASTLE, England -- There is perhaps some irony in the fact that, on an evening when Alexander Isak 's conspicuous absence dominated the prematch buildup, it was a 16-year-old debutant who stole the headlines.

Before Monday night, few people outside of Merseyside will have heard of Liverpool starlet Rio Ngumoha . Now, after his match-winning goal in the Reds' dramatic 3-2 victory over Newcastle United , his name has been marked out as one to remember.

Having joined Liverpool's academy from Chelsea in the summer of 2024, Ngumoha's recent emergence has been so impressive the view in some quarters is that he is Liverpool's most promising young talent since Raheem Sterling , who joined the club from Queens Park Rangers in 2010 and has since gone on to enjoy a stellar career

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