Chelsea fans will likely be looking on enviously as Liverpool handed a professional first-team debut to talented winger Rio Ngumoha in the FA Cup.

As recently as this summer, the teenager was on the books at Chelsea, plying his trade in the youth academy in London. However, he decided to trade that in for a more prominent opportunity at Anfield.

In the aftermath of the departure, our colleagues at the Liverpool ECHO reported that the Blues were furious at losing one of their best youth prospects. Chelsea will be due a nominal fee having helped to develop Ngumoha but that could be pennies compared to his value in ten years time.

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But considering both clubs are of a similar standard, there was some confusion as to why the winger chose to move to Liverpool. However, the overriding factor behind his move is believed to be the chances on offer to the forward on Merseyside.

At the time, it was reported that Ngumoha's camp saw the Carabao Cup final last year as the perfect example of why they wanted to move to Liverpool. While Chelsea's squad was packed with players bought from clubs across the world, the Reds' team featured a host of academy products who proved vital to winning the game.

There was believed to be concerns from Ngumoha's camp that he would become just another academy player who did not make it at Chelsea. Whereas at Liverpool, he would at least be given the chance to impress.

Those feelings have been proven on Saturday as the 16-year-old was handed his first-team debut against League Two opposition Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup third round. Ngumoha impressed onlookers with his sparkling pace and quick feet as Liverpool took a two-goal advantage into the break.

Liverpool ran out 4-0 winners with Ngumoha taken off for Jayden Danns in the 72nd minute. Last month, Ngumoha was named on the bench for the Carabao Cup quarter-final victory over Southampton as Arne Slot aims to integrate the youngster into the senior squad. Week-to-week, Ngumoha is developing with the club's U18s.