Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola has warned against overhyping teenager Rio Ngumoha, who has already emerged as a key player for the Reds and England, as contract talks continue at Anfield

Andoni Iraola has urged caution over excessive praise for Rio Ngumoha, yet acknowledges the 18-year-old possesses the mental fortitude to cope with his meteoric rise to prominence with Liverpool and England.

Ngumoha etched his name into the history books as the third youngest England international of all time in a competitive fixture, behind only Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney, when he appeared in a 2-0 triumph over Czechia last month at just 18 years and 31 days old.

The youngster has since carried that form into club football, putting in a standout display in Tuesday night's 4-3 Champions League victory over Villarreal, providing assists for Ronald Araujo and Alexis Mac Allister. The club is currently in negotiations with his representatives regarding an improved contract at Anfield.

Ngumoha has begun to settle impressively into a positional switch under Iraola, predominantly operating from the right flank following the $165 million (£123M) arrival of Bradley Barcola in August.

While the Reds' head coach is eager to nurture the youngster towards his full potential, he has cautioned against getting ahead of themselves.

"I found that for me, Rio is very coachable. He pays attention, he listens to every information we give," Iraola commented ahead of Sunday's home fixture against Brighton, as per the Liverpool Echo.

"Already the club was working with Rio, with a lot of young players that are there in between, doing a lot of individual work, even in moments where he wasn't playing, putting individual clips, doing individual sessions, things that we think he can improve, and we are continuing this process.

"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 they 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.

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"I think it definitely helps him, it's not easy when you are 18 and everyone is talking about you, but he knows, I think, 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 have to 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.

"It's like we have to go helping him in this process, knowing that he will have good games, but also he will have games where probably he's not so good."

Iraola, who is aiming to claim a first Premier League victory at Anfield when the third-place Seagulls travel to Merseyside this weekend, added: "I think every player has to focus on performances, on keeping doing well and improve the things he can improve.

"The outside noise, when it's good, when it's bad I think it affects - obviously - but we have to not be affected by those things.

"You continue to do your job, as good as you can, try to improve the things you can improve and don't be too affected from the things you can hear.

"When you do well they are going to praise you, when you do bad they are going to be critics but don't let those things affect too much the performance, which in the end is the most important thing."