Sixteen and sensational: Ngumoha rescues Liverpool in a St James’ Park storm

Liverpool emerged 3-2 winners from a wild, hostile night at St James’ Park as 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha curled home in the 100th minute on his Premier League debut to become the youngest scorer in the club’s history. The champions twice looked home and dry and then suddenly not, before Arne Slot’s bold late change delivered the final word.

Ryan Gravenberch’s deflected strike put Liverpool ahead against the flow and Anthony Gordon’s red card in first-half stoppage time tilted the contest further. Twenty-three seconds into the second half, Hugo Ekitiké doubled the lead, only for Newcastle’s 10 men to rally through Bruno Guimarães and an 88th-minute Will Osula equaliser. Then came Ngumoha: on at 96, decisive at 100.

Composure amid a cauldron

This rerun of last season’s cup antagonism opened at 100mph in a stadium inflamed by the Alexander Isak transfer saga and the summer tussle for Ekitiké. Ryan Gravenberch’s early booking for a cruncher on Bruno set a spiky tone, with Virgil van Dijk trying to cool things while Alisson watched Gordon flash a header just over from Harvey Barnes’s cross.

When Liverpool did strike, they were clinical. Ten minutes before half-time, Gravenberch’s low effort from the edge of the box took a touch off Fabian Schär and deceived an unsighted Nick Pope. With few touches in the Newcastle area, Liverpool’s efficiency hurt most.

VAR flashpoint, then ruthlessness

The match’s hinge arrived in first-half stoppage time. Gordon lunged late into Van Dijk and, after Simon Hooper initially showed yellow, VAR recommended a pitchside review that ended in a straight red for serious foul play. Newcastle were down to 10 and the mood grew even fiercer.

Liverpool then produced a restart statement. Within 23 seconds, Ekitiké sprinted beyond Sandro Tonali during the move, teed up Cody Gakpo and, when the Dutchman’s shot was blocked, reacted first to drill a low right-foot finish past Pope. For a player Newcastle had pursued, it was a pointed contribution.

Letting it slip and learning fast

Instead of cruising, Liverpool let the night back in. Tino Livramento’s curling delivery found Guimarães arriving at the far post for a diving header to make it 2-1 just before the hour. For a spell, it was Slot’s team who looked second to the duels.

The equaliser stung. From Pope’s long kick, Dan Burn outmuscled Ibrahima Konaté and substitute Will Osula stretched out a boot to force the ball past Alisson on 88 minutes. Liverpool had seemingly thrown away a win that felt secure at the restart.

A debut written in gold

Enter Ngumoha. Sent on in the 96th minute at 16 years and 361 days, he found space late in the 10th of 11 added minutes and wrapped a composed finish into the far corner for 3-2. It was the sweetest way to mark a debut and to etch his name into club history.

Praise was swift, with admiration for the teenager’s composure in a high-pressure moment echoed on the broadcast, and Van Dijk calling it a dream debut while reminding the youngster to stay grounded. For Slot, the win makes it two from two to start the title defence, even if the concession of two goals in both games offers an immediate area for refinement.