Result: Aston Villa 0-5 Liverpool
Date: 17 December 2019
Venue: Villa Park
A youthful Liverpool side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup after suffering a 5-0 loss at the hands of Aston Villa on Tuesday evening.
The Reds sent out a completely new side full of youngsters and coached by U-23 mentor Neil Critchley, as the senior team were out in Qatar for the FIFA Club World Cup, together with manager Jurgen Klopp.
The hosts took an early lead in the 14th minute courtesy of Conor Hourihane, who whipped in a free-kick from the edge of the box that evaded everyone in the penaty area and sailed in at the bottom corner.
Villa quickly doubled their lead three minutes later as Ahmed El Mohamady's cross deflected off Morgan Boyes and looped over Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Critchley's charges were being torn apart as Jonathan Kodjia bagged the third goal for the Clarets with a composed finish past Kelleher after being sent clear on goal by Jota Peleteiro.
Kotjia completed his brace on the stroke of half-time with a clinical finish inside the box after a brilliant cross by El Mohamady to make it 4-0 to the home side,
Liverpool were better organised early in the second stanza and also fashioning some chances of their own but they had to thank Kelleher for not being conceding a fifth with 20 minutes remaining as the young shot-stopper denied Trezeguet, who had burst through on goal.
Sixteen-year-old sensation Harvey Elliott almost snatched a consolation goal for the visitors with a thumping strike from just outside the box that was parried away by Villa goalkeeper Orjan Nyland, who quickly made a follow up save to keep out Leighton Clarkson's header.
Nevertheless, Wesley eventually got the fifth goal for the hosts in stoppage time with a neat finish into the bottom corner to seal Villa's place in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup for the first time since the 2012/13 season.
