This was an historic afternoon for Liverpool before a ball had even been kicked. A surprise inclusion on the left flank meant Rio Ngumoha, at 16 years 135 days old, became the youngest player in history to start a game for the Reds.

While not quite young enough to take the overall record from Jerome Sinclair, who was 16 years six days old when stepping off the bench in a League Cup win at West Bromwich Albion in 2012, Ngumoha usurped his landmark from Harvey Elliott, who he lined up alongside here against Accrington Stanley.

Anyone who has witnessed Ngumoha for the Academy side will already have known about his trademark jinking runs down the left flank, clever footwork, surprisingly strong physique and increasing end product.

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Certainly, Chelsea’s displeasure at losing the player to Liverpool during the summer highlighted how for some time he has been recognised as one of the country’s most exciting young talents.

And it didn’t take long for Ngumoha, who has been training regularly with the first team and was on the bench in the League Cup quarter-final win at Southampton before Christmas, to announce himself to the uninitiated and merit the faith placed in him by Arne Slot in this FA Cup third round tie.

He won a throw-in with his first touch, and was soon readily accepting possession and running at the Accrington rearguard. A few clever runs drew admiring gasps from the appreciative Anfield crowd, who will have been impressed by the youngster’s consistent ability to release the ball at the right time.

Indeed, Ngumoha was inadvertently involved in Liverpool’s two first-half goals that took the game away from the visitors. It was from the free-kick the winger conceded that the Reds broke away to open the scoring through Diogo Jota, and his blocked shot after another run in off the left was moved through Kostas Tsimikas and Dominik Szoboszlai for Trent Alexander-Arnold to smash home.

Ngumoha wasn’t as influential in the second half half as he understandably tired, but the ovation he received from the home supporters – which was reciprocated with applause from the player – on his substitution 18 minutes from time was richly deserved.

These were just the first baby steps in Ngumoha’s professional career. But his already appears a journey worth watching with interest.