Slot Admits Relief After Ngumoha’s Dramatic Winner Keeps Liverpool Perfect

Slot Admits Relief After Ngumoha’s Dramatic Winner Keeps Liverpool Perfect.

Liverpool Boss Arne Slot Was Relieved Ngumoha Scored the Winner At Newcastle

At St James’ Park, Liverpool walked away with a 3–2 victory that will be remembered for Rio Ngumoha’s history-making winner, but for Arne Slot, the overriding emotion was not joy or celebration. It was relief.

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The Reds looked in full control when Hugo Ekitike doubled their lead early in the second half, yet a spirited Newcastle United fightback saw the champions dragged into chaos.

A Bruno Guimarães header and a late strike from William Osula had the home crowd believing a stunning comeback was complete, before 16-year-old Ngumoha stole the headlines with a dramatic finish deep into stoppage time.

Slot admitted that, from the touchline, he felt the game slipping from his side’s grasp. “Relief, because if you are 2-0 up against 10 men… they brought it back to 2-2 and maybe it was even deserved,” he told BBC Sport.

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“Then they had more chances than we had. Their fans were so loud, wow! It was an amazing atmosphere. To end with a goal during the best attack we had… the feeling is relief. We found a way to win.”

The manager was effusive in his praise for Ngumoha, whose strike made him Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer. Slot noted not only the quality of the finish, but the fearlessness with which the teenager embraced the occasion.

“He is not afraid to play,” he said. “It was a great finish, great attack from the whole team.” Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: “It was a great goal for a 16-year-old. Rio can finish so well for his age.

“I heard someone in the dressing room say he might have taken a first touch, but he is so confident. For his age, he is a really good finisher.”

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Despite the thrilling finale, Slot was far from satisfied with the way his side let Newcastle back into the match. The Dutchman knows Liverpool cannot continue conceding so cheaply if they hope to sustain a title defence.

“If you want to be where we want to be at the end of the season, you have to start keeping clean sheets,” he said. “We’ve conceded too many goals, but we have scored too.”

Pressed on whether the defensive issues might push Liverpool into late moves in the transfer market, Slot refused to be drawn. “We should talk about the game and Hugo Ekitike scoring for the third game in a row,” he insisted. “This is not the moment or the place to say anything else.”

Slot also reflected on the chaotic nature of the encounter, acknowledging that the contest was dictated more by set-pieces and raw intensity than rhythm or control. “I’m not too sure it was a football match today,” he told Sky Sports.

“It was set-piece after set-piece, long throw after long throw. We didn’t collapse and stood strong. We didn’t play well enough with the ball. I don’t think there was so much open play.”

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The sight of Ngumoha coolly dispatching the decisive goal in such a hostile atmosphere was a reminder of the club’s bright future.

But Slot will know that late drama cannot be their lifeline every week. Relief may have been the feeling in Newcastle, yet the real work lies ahead in tightening a defence that continues to invite danger.