‘I am the manager…’ – Arne Slot explains Rio Ngumoha substitution which had Anfield seething

“He was having problems with his muscles and when I asked him, he said he was not sure he could continue. I knew this would be the reaction because he is such a good player.

“So often in football, people don’t know everything. I am the manager and I need to make decisions. Knowing why makes it more sense for people.”

(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

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A shame to see Ngumoha being substituted

Without any evidence to the contrary, we probably need to take Slot at his word; and if indeed Ngumoha felt he couldn’t continue due to muscular problems, then the much-derided substitution would seem to make a bit more sense.

However, it wouldn’t surprise us if there was a feeling among some supporters that there’s an element of self-preservation going on here from the Liverpool head coach, who was under no illusions as to how that decision went down.

It was such a shame to see the 17-year-old being taken off – he caused Malo Gusto quite a few problems and showed up many of his far more experienced teammates, whereas Alexander Isak (who came on in his place) was barely involved during his 25 minutes or so on the pitch.

We can only hope that Ngumoha hadn’t been suffering symptoms of an injury, as he’s been one of the few shining lights in a Reds team which has been thoroughly underwhelming for almost the entirety of this exhausting, joyless season.

The teenager is one of the most popular players among the Liverpool fan base, in stark contrast to Slot, whose reputation has nosedived over the past few months (and not just among LFC supporters, either).