(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Mon 16 March 2026 11:06, UK

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Liverpool starlet Rio Ngumoha has received a public show of support from Arsenal record-breaker Max Dowman following his historic first Premier League start on Sunday.

The 17-year-old Ngumoha was the standout performer in the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Tottenham, setting a new Premier League record as the youngest player to attempt and complete seven out of seven take-ons in a single match.

Despite the 1-1 result—sealed by a late Richarlison goal—Ngumoha’s performance cemented his status as one of the league’s top young talents.

However, his team failed to secure a much-needed three points against struggling opposition at Anfield, as former Everton hero Richarlison netted late on to cancel out Dominik Szoboszlai’s first-half free-kick.

Liverpool’s disappointing result has left them outside the top four by two points, as they face a race against time to secure their qualification for the Champions League for next season.

Max Dowman heaps praise on Rio Ngumoha

The Premier League saw a coming-of-age moment for two of its brightest youngsters during last weekend’s round of fixtures, as Arsenal’s Max Dowman also made headlines on Saturday evening.

The 16-year-old has been promoted to become a regular part of Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad at the Emirates Stadium this term, and he rewarded his manager for the faith that he has shown in him against Everton.

Dowman carried the ball almost the entire length of the pitch in stoppage time, with Jordan Pickford upfield for a late corner, and netted his first Premier League goal to seal a 2-0 win for the Gunners.

Both he and Ngumoha have emerged as two of the league’s breakout stars so far in 2025-26, and it has quickly become clear that they both have huge futures ahead of them at the top level.

Ngumoha took to Instagram after his latest display for Liverpool, as he posted a series of photos of himself in action, accompanied by the caption: “Disappointed with the result today but happy to make my first Premier League start. We go again.”

Dowman was quick to respond with a message of support for his England U19 teammate, as he commented: “The best!’ under his post.

Liverpool ready to sanction Ngumoha loan

Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that Liverpool may accept a loan offer for Ngumoha next term, to ensure that he can continue to get the gametime he needs to develop.

Brown suggested that the wideman needs starts rather than late cameos in order to truly progress and reach his potential, and he insisted that “a lot” of Premier League clubs would benefit from having a player of his ability.

The Merseysiders have had success by sending the likes of Conor Bradley out on loan in recent years, and Ngumoha could be about to be part of the next crop of youngsters who head out to get experience.

However, at the same time, if he keeps having a similar impact between now and the end of the season, then it would also be no surprise to see Slot decide to hand him a bigger first-team role for 2026-27.