Liverpool Beat Aston Villa in FA Cup Third Round
Liverpool have successfully reached the FA Cup fourth round with a comfortable 4-1 victory over a Covid-affected Aston Villa, but it took until the second half to get on top of a side made up of academy players with no first-team experience.
Aston Villa suffered a heavy loss as they used their under 23 team to play the defending champions of the English Premier League due to a coronavirus outbreak at their training ground this week meant no first-team players were available to Villa, with the club fielding a starting XI composed of seven under-23 players and four from the under-18s.
But despite conceding in the fourth-minute when Sadio Mane headed in, they remained resolute in defence for the rest of the half and then stunned the visitors when 17-year-old Louie Barry equalised.
The England Under-17 striker, born just a few miles from Villa Park, signed for the club last January for more than £800,000 having had a spell with Barcelona’s academy. His composed finish four minutes before the break was as assured as what would be expected from a top class attacker like Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
Unfortunately for Aston Villa, the youngsters tired while Liverpool exerted more pressure in the second half, scoring three goals in a five-minute spell after the break.
Georginio Wijnaldum stroked in Liverpool’s second on the hour mark before Mane looped in a header and Mohamed Salah struck home a low shot from inside the area. They were able to beat Aston Villa and advance to the next stage of the competition.
The Reds were able to pay back their 7-2 humiliation by Aston Villa.
