Iraola Tells Rio Ngumoha to Block Out the Noise After Liverpool Starlet's Two-Assist Champions League Breakout

Iraola: 'Don't be too affected by the things you can hear'

Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has urged Rio Ngumoha to ignore the increased attention being heaped on the teenager and concentrate on his football, following a breakout week for the 18-year-old.

Ngumoha was named man of the match after providing two assists in Liverpool's midweek Champions League victory over Villarreal — just days after coming off the bench to change the game at Brentford.

The winger has been in the spotlight ever since his move from Chelsea's academy in 2024, and while his career has been on an upward trajectory since he made his first-team debut in the FA Cup in January last year, the last few weeks have seen him elevated to another level.

Iraola is well aware that the fickle nature of football means there are likely to be pitfalls along the way, and he is trying to keep the teenager's feet firmly on the ground.

"I think every player has to focus on performances, on keeping doing well and improving the things he can improve," Iraola said. "The outside noise, when it's good, when it's bad, I think it affects — obviously — but we have to therefore not be affected by those things.

"You continue to do your job, as good as you can, try to improve the things you can improve and don't be too affected from the things you can hear.

"When you do well they are going to praise you, when you do bad there are going to be critics but don't let those things affect too much the performance, which in the end is the most important thing."

Academy graduates pushing each other at Anfield

Ngumoha's growing importance to the team this season has been helped by the presence of fellow academy graduates Trey Nyoni and Lewis Koumas, who have also enjoyed plenty of game time already as the head coach tries to manage the minutes of some of his more experienced players.

"I think they (younger players) are supporting each other. You can feel it straight away, even in pre-season, the ones who played the games, you could feel after their performances they were looking at each other and praising each other," Iraola added ahead of the visit of high-flying Brighton.

"When they see one of them getting a start in the Champions League or getting a start in the Premier League, maybe it's not themselves, but they feel it like, 'OK, I'm close to being there'.

"I think it's something that is going to be good for them, also good for the ones that are now in the second team, looking and playing with them and for sure they are texting them and they are sending messages. I think this is a good feeling.

"I think they (also) have to use all the help from the coaches and from the players. They are lucky now that we have good references.

"I suppose every defender goes to Virgil (van Dijk) and whatever Virgil says... I think you have to take it and consider it and learn from that.

"With Alex (Isak) and with every experienced player that we have, I think they have to get what they (can from) seeing training: how they act, what they do, and also what they can advise them."

Managing the hype game by game

The message from Iraola is a familiar one at Anfield this season: let the young talent develop without the weight of unrealistic expectation. For Ngumoha, the task now is to carry his midweek form into the forthcoming fixtures as Liverpool prepare to host Brighton, with the head coach keen to shield his latest academy revelation from the noise surrounding his rapid rise.