LIVERPOOL, England, May 9 – Liverpool manager Arne Slot downplayed the furious Anfield reaction to his substitution of teenager Rio Ngumoha in Saturday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea, saying the 17-year-old was having injury issues and needed to be taken off.
Ngumoha, making his first Premier League start, was substituted in the 65th minute with the score at 1-1. The decision drew loud boos from the home crowd, who felt the young winger had been one of Liverpool's most dangerous attackers.
Slot explained after the match: 'He had some issues with his hamstring. We couldn't take the risk. It's not about the reaction of the fans; it's about the player's health.' The substitution was a precautionary measure, and Ngumoha is expected to be assessed ahead of Liverpool's next fixture.
