Andoni Iraola says he feels lucky to coach Liverpool starlet Rio Ngumoha – but has urged people to not expect too much too soon from the 18-year-old.

Ngumoha received rave reviews on Tuesday night with a spell-binding performance against Villarreal, in which he made two goals with mazy runs, and Reds boss Iraola is loving it.

Iraola, whose side play Brighton in a top-of-the-table tussle on Sunday, insists Ngumoha is not fazed by the hype. 

‘Rio is very coachable,’ he said. ‘He pays attention, he listens to every information we give.

‘We haven't done anything super special with him. It's like let's give him confidence, continue the process and he is the one adding a lot to his game.

‘I haven't felt that he's very affected, positively or negatively, by the things (pundits and media) talk about him. 

'I think he's very focused on the football side, of improving his performances, of trying to get the things that we need from him.

‘It's not easy when you are 18 and everyone is talking about you, but he knows that what matters is what is happening today in training, the things that he can add to his game, and I think he's very focused there.

‘Definitely, I feel lucky to have him, but I think there is also a moment where we cannot also, just because he has played well, put the expectation straight away super high because it's not fair for him.

‘Because he will still make mistakes, he will have his moments up and down, and this is a natural process that every player goes through. So we cannot straight away put the demands in Rio that are impossible to beat.’

A yellow weather warning is issued around Anfield on Sunday which the authorities are keeping an eye on. 

Liverpool will be without winger Victor Munoz and vice-captain Dominik Szoboszlai but Bradley Barcola has returned to training after missing some sessions this week.