Aston Villa’s youngsters did themselves and the club proud as they put in a battling display to push Liverpool all the way despite falling to a 4-1 defeat in their FA Cup Third-Round tie.
Louie Barry’s composed finish just before the break having been sent clean through by Callum Rowe’s exquisite throughball ensured the Young Lions went in level at the break against the Premier League champions, who boasted a strong and vastly experienced side and took an early lead through Sadio Mane.
But three goals in five second-half minutes around the hour mark swung the encounter, Georginio Wijnaldum getting on the scoresheet before Mane added his second and Mohamed Salah added a fourth for the dominant Reds, who controlled throughout the encounter.
But a young and spirited Villa side could well and truly hold their heads high following a brave, hard-working and energetic display against a Liverpool matchday 20 which contained 14 players who were involved in the 2019 Champions League Final.
In stark contrast, Villa handed first-team debuts to all 11 players in the starting line-up, which boasted an average age of just 18, and five substitutes on a memorable night at Villa Park for the club's Academy.
Due to a significant Coronavirus outbreak affecting a large number of first-team players and staff, Villa fielded a side made up entirely of Under-23s and Under-18s, boyhood Villa supporter Dominic Revan captaining the youthful line-up.
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The visitors opened the scoring after four minutes, Mane heading home Neco Williams’ cross from six yards.
Wijnaldum spurned a clear-cut opening shortly afterwards, looping the ball over the crossbar from close range, but the Young Lions grew into the game.
They were indebted to a superb double save from the superb Akos Onodi, 19, to deny Fabinho and then Mane before Barry embarked on a surging run down the right wing to pose problems in the Liverpool backline.
Onodi was at it again to deny Salah in the 35th minute from 16 yards and Villa’s youngsters were in dreamland soon afterwards.
Rowe played a superb throughball from his own half and Barry, 17, raced past Rhys Williams to go clean through and calmly slot low past Caoimhin Kelleher and spark wild scenes.
Onodi then denied Curtis Jones late in the first half to ensure Villa held Liverpool at the interval.
Fabinho headed straight at Onodi soon after the restart but the visitors, having introduced Thiago Alcantara at the interval, took control of the tie on the hour mark.
Wijnaldum received the ball from Takumi Minamino and converted from the edge of the penalty area.
Mane claimed his second of the game three minutes later courtesy of a looping header before Salah soon made it 4-1 from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri’s second assist within minutes of entering the fray.
The visitors continued to dominate as the second half wore on and Villa’s youngsters tired, with Brad Young, Harrison Sohna, Hayden Lindley, Sil Swinkels and Teddy Rowe all introduced off the bench.
Thiago clipped the top of the crossbar in the 85th minute but, despite defeat, it was a night to be proud for Villa’s young side.
Villa: Onodi, Bridge, D Revan, Walker (T Rowe 75), C Rowe (Swinkels 75), Chrisene (Young 61), Barry, Kesler, Sylla, Raikhy (H Sohna 65), Bogarde (Lindley 66).
Subs: Zych, Hart, Tait, Ealing.
