16-year-old Rio Ngumoha called up with 24 players in Liverpool first-team training

Liverpool took in their final sessions at the AXA Training Centre before the visit of Aston Villa with 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha part of the first-team squad.

The Reds host Villa in a rare 8pm kickoff on Saturday, with the aim of consolidating their spot at the top of the table.

Arne Slot remains without the injured Alisson, Diogo Jota, Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa, while he is likely to make changes after the 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in midweek.

As Liverpool worked at the AXA Training Centre on Friday afternoon, the sight of summer signing Ngumoha was a notable one.

Ngumoha has been a regular in the academy ranks since his switch from Chelsea, but there are clearly high hopes for the 16-year-old left winger.

He is unlikely to be in contention for a place in the squad against Villa, but his involvement – amid the absence of Jota and Chiesa – shows he is highly regarded.

There were no new absentees among the 24 players spotted at the AXA Training Centre, which is hugely positive given the fixture list.

Villa will be Liverpool’s final opponents before the third international break of the campaign, with the majority of Slot’s senior squad expected to be in action for their national teams.

Slot faces a number of big decisions when it comes to his starting lineup for Saturday, chiefly at left-back, central midfield and on the left wing.

Kostas Tsimikas has impressed in his last two outings but could make way for Andy Robertson, while there is a choice between either Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones in the advanced midfield role.

In attack, Luis Diaz could be restored to the left flank after a hat-trick starting as a striker against Leverkusen, with Darwin Nunez potentially replacing Cody Gakpo in the side.

Ngumoha was not the only academy representative in first-team training on Friday, with goalkeepers Harvey Davies and Kornel Misciur and midfielder Trey Nyoni also working with the senior group.

Liverpool squad in training on Friday

Goalkeepers: Kelleher, Jaros, Davies, Misciur

Defenders: Van Dijk, Konate, Gomez, Quansah, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Tsimikas, Bradley

Midfielders: Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Szoboszlai, Endo, Morton, Nyoni

Forwards: Salah, Diaz, Nunez, Gakpo, Ngumoha