Liverpool Concede Five To Crash Out Of Carabao Cup

Aston Villa secured a thumping 5-0 EFL win over a Liverpool side wholly made up of youngsters to book their spot in the semifinal stages of the competition.

There were to be no surprises as Liverpool's youngest-ever team was expectedly carved open by Dean Smith's much more experienced side with the Reds having to name an entire squad made up of reserves and youngsters due to the first team being in Qatar for the Club World Cup.

Although Liverpool had made the unenviable record of conceding four times in the opening half of a match for the first time since Steven Gerrard's last game, away to Stoke City in May 2015, they were still able to match Villa aptly, reducing the gulf in class and restricting them to just three shots on target.

Liverpool's youngsters Harvey Elliott and Herbie Kane were crucially denied by Orjan Nyland, who was in terrific opening form, during the early exchanges of the first half.

But Caoimhin Kelleher was less commanding at the other end, allowing Hourihane's right-wing free-kick to squirm underneath him before Boyes deflected an Ahmed Elmohamady cross over the goalkeeper as Villa raced into a commanding lead.

A kind ricochet in the 37th minute allowed Jota to play in Kodjia, and he prodded past Kelleher after racing clear, with the forward getting a second on the stroke of half-time when steering Elmohamady's cross in from close range.

Kodjia was denied a hat-trick just past the hour when played through on goal as Kelleher got down to make a good save, but Wesley did cap the win off in stoppage time, stroking home his first goal in over two months.

Attention will now turn to Qatar where Liverpool's first team, managed by Klopp, battle Monterrey in the semifinal of the Club World Cup