Liverpool’s attacking numbers rose after Wirtz came on against Villarreal
Anfield Watch recorded more shots and opposition-box touches in the second half of Liverpool’s 4-3 comeback, when Florian Wirtz joined Rio Ngumoha in driving the attack.
Liverpool beat Villarreal 4-3 at Anfield on Tuesday after trailing by two goals, with Florian Wirtz coming on at half-time and Rio Ngumoha providing two assists. Anfield Watch’s post-match figures show Liverpool took 14 shots in the second half, up from eight in the first, as the comeback gathered pace.
Liverpool’s second-half shots and penalty-area touches
Anfield Watch also counted 30 Liverpool touches in Villarreal’s penalty area after the break, compared with 14 before it. The outlet called the change the ‘Wirtz effect’, linking the improved attacking output to his introduction. Those totals and that reading are Anfield Watch’s analysis; the match reports establish Wirtz’s arrival and the comeback, but do not establish how much of the increase he caused.
Wirtz played only the second half but finished among the game’s top 10 players for completed passes, according to Anfield Watch. It reported that he completed more passes than Ryan Gravenberch, who had played the first half in midfield and the second at right-back. Only Ngumoha had more touches in the opposition box than Wirtz, while Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo were the only Liverpool players to win more ground duels than Wirtz’s seven, the outlet said.
Ngumoha’s role in the Villarreal comeback
BBC Sport reported that Ngumoha helped turn the match after Liverpool’s poor first half. After the break, he went past Sergi Cardona and held off Juan Foyth before setting up Alexis Mac Allister to put Liverpool ahead. Wirtz then scored Liverpool’s fourth goal, which proved decisive in the 4-3 win.
Ngumoha’s two assists made him, at 18 years and 52 days old, Liverpool’s youngest player to score or assist in the Champions League, according to the BBC. Discussing his approach to taking on defenders, Ngumoha said: ‘Whenever I get the ball and there’s an opportunity to go one versus one, or two versus one, I believe in myself to do it. I’ll just keep going and be ruthless.’
The Guardian reported that this was Ngumoha’s fifth start under Andoni Iraola. Playing on the right, the teenager cut inside to shoot with his left foot and made the run that created Mac Allister’s second goal. Virgil van Dijk said senior players had helped Ngumoha develop, naming Cody Gakpo among them.
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Sources and context
- Rio Ngumoha wasn't the only Liverpool star with ridiculous numbersAnfield Watch, republished by Yahoo Sports
- ‘A complete threat’: Rio Ngumoha’s electric display excites Van Dijk and LiverpoolThe Guardian
- Liverpool 4-3 Villarreal: Rio Ngumoha shines in comeback winBBC Sport
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.