Carabao Cup: Crewe 1 Aston Villa 6 - Report and pictures

There certainly haven't been many nights as straightforward as this one at Gresty Road, where Dean Smith's men blasted their way past League Two Crewe to record their best result in the League Cup for more than a decade.

Factor in a much-changed team from the one which defeated Everton last Friday night and it was a doubly pleasing evening for Villa's boss.

Ezri Konsa and Frederic Guilbert scored their first goals for the club, while Keinan Davis rounded off a fine individual performance with his first for more than 18 months. Conor Hourihane and Jack Grealish also opened their accounts for the campaign, the former bagging a first-half brace.

The scoreline was a little harsh on Crewe, who registered 16 shots on goal and netted through Ryan Wintle late on.

But Villa were clinical when it mattered, the only downside for Smith being a first-half injury to Matt Targett on the left-back's full debut.

With winger Jota the only man to keep his place from Friday's 2-0 win over Everton, Smith also handed Marvelous Nakamba and Konsa, the latter partnering Kortney Hause at the heart of a totally reshaped backline.

Most surprising of all was the presence on the bench of Aaron Tshibola. The midfielder, a £5million signing from Reading in the summer of 2016, had not made a first-team appearance for two-and-a-half years. Smith also included Cameron Archer on the bench, the teenager making a late substitute appearance.

Villa's fourth-minute opener was scrappy but that won't have bothered Konsa, a £12million summer signing from Brentford.

The visitors won a corner on the left and took it short, Conor Hourihane lifting a dangerous cross to the back post which the hosts were unable to clear. Hause was the first to try and force the ball home, his stabbed effort hitting a defender and sitting up perfectly for Konsa to head beyond goalkeeper Dave Richards.

Crewe looked a little rattled by the goal but after a few minutes regained their composure and will feel their performance prior to Villa's second was at least worthy of an equaliser.

At one point they thought they had it, only for Dale's close range header to be chalked off for offside.

Jed Steer also saved smartly from Chris Porter, while the Villa goalkeeper was also required to tip over a rising Kirk effort.

But the visitors, having soaked up the pressure, then ruthlessly doubled their lead with a goal of real quality, if not a little controversy.

Crewe's defenders were convinced Lansbury was offside when he raced to met Jota's beautifully lofted through pass. Yet the flag stayed down and the Villa midfielder, having drawn Richards off his line, had the presence of mind to roll the ball back for the onrushing Hourihane to fire into an empty net.

Villa extended their lead once more. Hourihane was again the scorer, ghosting in between two defenders to nod Anwar El Ghazi's cross beyond Richards and into the net.

Crewe were quickly out of the blocks in the second half but again the killer touch eluded them, Dale blasting wide when through on goal after Hause had stumbled and lost possession on the edge of his own box.

El Ghazi then hit the post for Villa after fine work by Davis but the striker himself made no mistake when he was set up by Grealish, who had been introduced off the bench only seconds before, to bag Villa's fourth on 69 minutes.

Guilbert then made it five, curling a finish into the top corner from the edge of the box, before Crewe got the goal they deserved when Ryan Wintle fired in low. But Villa still had the final word, Grealish restoring the five-goal advantage with five minutes to go.

Teams

Crewe (4-3-3): Richards, Ng (c), Lancashire, Nolan, Adebisi, Ainley, Lowery (Jones 68), Wintle, Dale, Porter (Anene HT), Kirk (Finney 66) Subs not used: Powell, Green, Hunt, Jaaskelainen (gk).

Villa (4-3-3): Steer, Elmohamady (c), Konsa, Hause, Targett (Guilbert 43), Nakamba, Hourihane, Lansbury, Jota (Grealish 68), Davis, El Ghazi Subs not used: Luiz, Tshibola, Ramsey, Archer, Nyland (gk).