Villa’s England stars turned on the style as Martin O’Neill’s men swept aside Portsmouth to reach the Carling Cup semi-finals.

Emile Heskey, James Milner, Stewart Downing – with his first Villa goal – and Ashley Young were all on target at Fratton Park, with Pompey’s consolation efforts coming via a Stiliyan Petrov own goal and Kanu strike.

Villa skipper Petrov had put the home side ahead in the 10th minute after slicing Danny Webber’s inswinging corner into his own net.

But Martin O’Neill’s men were level within two minutes when Heskey coolly clipped the ball over Pompey keeper Asmir Begovic, after good work from Milner.

Milner grabbed a goal of his own on 27 minutes by collecting an Ashley Young throw-in, before hammering a 20-yard strike into the right corner.

Villa looked comfortable against the Premier League’s bottom side and their third came as no great surprise.

Ashley Young’s cross took a deflection and looped up to the back post ,where Downing stooped to squeeze a header inside the post.

Substitute Kanu gave Villa a scare when bundling home from close range on 87 minutes.

But Pompey’s comeback hopes were extinguished just two minutes later, when Gabby Agbonlahor’s deflected cross found Young at the back post who lashed home to move O’Neill’s men within a round of Wembley.