Carabao Cup: Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 0 - Report

All that really matters is Dean Smith’s team now stand just one two-legged semi-final from booking a date at Wembley for the third season running, after a victory over the youngest starting XI Liverpool have ever fielded which was comfortable in scoreline but often felt anything but.

A night which always promised to deliver a strange spectacle due did precisely that. Ultimately a much-changed home side did enough in fits and spurts to get past a visiting team who gave a more than respectable account of themselves.

Jonathan Kodjia netted twice on his first start of the season, after Conor Hourihane and a Morgan Boyes own goal had put Villa on top.

Record buy Wesley then came off the bench to net a confidence-boosting goal with virtually the last kick of the game.

Yet there were moments, particularly in the first-half, when Liverpool’s kids - called into action due to the first-team’s involvement in the Club World Cup - controlled the game. Only a series of fine saves from Orjan Nyland prevented them from getting the goal their display at least deserved.

This tie came on the back of Villa beating weakened teams fielded by Brighton and Wolves in the two previous rounds. There have probably been easier routes to the last four of a competition before, though right now it is difficult to recall one.

Villa’s team, as expected, was much changed with only Henri Lansbury keeping his place from the XI beaten 2-0 by Sheffield United on Saturday.

The most notable piece of news was a first appearance since January 26 for club captain James Chester, who partnered Ezri Konsa in the heart of the defence.

There was also a first start of the season for Kodjia, with record signing Wesley named on a strong-looking bench which also included Jack Grealish and John McGinn.

Liverpool were without Rhian Brewster, the most well-known of their youngsters, after the striker was ruled out through injury.

The visiting line-up included six debutants and had an average age of 19 years, six months and three days.

Yet it was the youngsters who made by far the most assured start and the period before Hourihane gave Villa the lead was alarming for the home crowd.

Twice Orjan Nyland was called into action to prevent the visitors taking a shock lead.

The Norwegian international first stuck up a hand to push Harvey Elliott’s rising drive round the post, before then denying Herbie Kane with his legs as the home side struggled to find any rhythm.

But as so often when Villa really need a moment of inspiration, Hourihane provided it to put them in front.

The visitors were penalised for handball out on the right wing and the Republic of Ireland international’s whipped delivery crept under the body of Caoimhin Kelleher, the goalkeeper perhaps put off by Kodjia’s late lunge toward the ball.

Three minutes later Villa were further ahead, though their second goal owed everything to fortune. A neat move ended with Elmohamady advancing down the right, with his cross taking a huge deflection off Boyes and looping over Kelleher before nestling inside the far post.

To their credit, Liverpool’s youngsters did not let their heads drop and the goal their performance warranted at that point almost arrived when the lively Elliott teed up Isaac Christie-Davies with a neat chip, Nyland once again making a smart save.

Villa, however, were clinical and eight minutes before the break bagged their third. Jota was alert to nip in and win the ball on halfway before setting Kodjia through on goal, the Ivory Coast international sending his finish underneath the body of Kelleher.

The hosts were just too sharp around the box and a slick passing move created the fourth and Kodjia’s second on the stroke of half-time. Jota won the ball 25 yards out and found Elmohamady’s run on the right, with his cross turned home by Kodjia just six yards out.

Even with a four-goal advantage, Villa struggled to exert any control and the visitors were denied in superb fashion by Nyland early in the second half. Boyes’ shot from the edge of the box took at least two deflections, the second off Kane just six yards out, with the keeper somehow reacting in time to palm the ball round the post.

Trezeguet went close to scoring on three occasions for the hosts. First, he saw a goalbound effort cleared off the line by Sepp Van Den Berg, before poking a shot over the bar a minute later and then drawing a sharp save from Kelleher with an angled drive.

Lansbury then tested the keeper with a rasping drive, though it was Nyland who made the game’s final big save, this time denying Tony Gallacher.

With seconds remaining, Wesley added Villa’s fifth after racing on to Trezeguet’s pass, snapping his nine-match goal drought in the process.

Villa (4-3-3): Nyland, Elmohamady, Chester (Hause 77), Konsa, Taylor, Lansbury, Luiz, Hourihane, Jota, Kodjia (Wesley 73), Trezeguet Subs not used: Guilbert, McGinn, Grealish, El Ghazi, Kalinic (gk).

Liverpool (4-3-3): Kelleher, Hoever, Van Den Berg, Boyes, Gallacher, Chirivella, Kane, Christie-Davies (Clarkson 77), Elliott, Hill, Longstaff (Bearne 65) Subs not used: Clayton, Dixon-Bonner, Norris, Stewart, Winterbottom (gk).