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| Aston Villa thrashed Liverpool’s youngest-ever starting line-up to cruise into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup at Villa Park |
Aston Villa beat Liverpool’s youngest-ever side 5-0 with a double by Jonathan Kodjia helping them into the League Cup semi-finals on a strange night at Villa Park on Tuesday.
With Premier League leaders Liverpool playing in FIFA’s Club World Cup 24 hours later in Doha, they fielded a starting lineup consisting mainly of reserves and youth team players with an average age of 19.4, a club record.
Despite their inexperience Liverpool’s youngsters acquitted themselves well and matched a Villa side, showing 10 changes from their weekend Premier League defeat by Sheffield United, for much of a game that did not reflect well on the League Cup.
Liverpool’s senior players and manager Juergen Klopp, watching on TV in Qatar, would have been impressed with the way they started with 16-year-old Harvey Elliott catching the eye.
But Villa went ahead in the 14th minute through Conor Hourihane’s free kick, with Kodjia just failing to get a touch.
Morgan Boyes, one of five Liverpool debutants, deflected Ahmed Elmohamady’s free kick up and over his own keeper Caoimhin Kelleher three minutes later before 30-year-old Kodjia ran through to slot home his side’s third goal in the 37th.
Kodjia made it 4-0 just before halftime to end the match as a contest, although Liverpool carved out several good chances after the break. Villa added a fifth goal in stoppage time with record signing Wesley steering home after coming off the bench.
REUTERS
