Andoni Iraola has hailed Rio Ngumoha's emergence as a "more complete player" after the Liverpool teenager inspired a dramatic 4-3 Champions League victory over Villarreal at Anfield.
The 18-year-old supplied two assists as Liverpool recovered from two goals down to maintain their perfect start to the European campaign.
Alexis Mac Allister scored twice, with Ronald Araujo and Florian Wirtz also finding the net on a breathless night.
Victory made it three wins from three in the competition, although Liverpool again paid for a sloppy start.
But Iraola's assessment of Ngumoha went beyond his attacking contribution, with the Liverpool manager highlighting the youngster's willingness to learn as he adjusts to playing on the right.
Speaking to Amazon Prime, Iraola said: "I am really happy with Rio. He is trying to improve everything that we try to correct.
"He is playing a lot more on the right and he has adapted really well. He's going more inside.
"He struggled defensively in the first half. The second half was much better. He's becoming a more complete player. He's still only 18."
That improvement came alongside a tactical adjustment which helped Liverpool recover their footing after Villarreal had threatened to take control.
Iraola explained: "In the first half, they were overloading the middle. We decided to put Ryan [Gravenberch] at right-back and be more of a threat working with Rio. I value Ryan a lot.
"We decided to try a bit more one-sided, help more on the left.
"From there, we finished the first half well and started the second half really well."
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Ngumoha rewarded that faith with a performance which saw him become Liverpool's youngest player to register a Champions League assist.
His first helped Araujo haul the hosts level after Mac Allister had headed home Kostas Tsimikas' corner.
Ngumoha then created Mac Allister's second after the interval, before substitute Wirtz added Liverpool's fourth.
Earlier, Georges Mikautadze had punished Virgil van Dijk's poor header inside four minutes and Sergi Cardona doubled Villarreal's advantage.
Tani Oluwaseyi later ensured an uncomfortable finish for the hosts.
For Ngumoha, however, the evening offered another opportunity to demonstrate the confidence driving his development.
He told Amazon Prime: "It was a top performance from the boys. We were two goals down but the mentality was always there. We knew we were going to win.
"It's up there with one of the best I've played. I enjoyed myself and the team helped me a lot.
"Whenever I get the ball and there's an opportunity to go one v one or two v one, I believe in myself.
"I'll just keep going and be ruthless."
The teenager also credited Liverpool's training work for helping his transition to the right flank, while insisting the result mattered more than his record.
"These records are amazing to break but winning is the most important," he said.
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