Aston Villa starlet Louie Barry: Goal against Liverpool my proudest moment

The 17-year-old, a boyhood Villa fan, fired home in the 41st minute as a team made up of under-18 and under-23s players performed admirably against the Premier League champions.

Barry’s goal cancelled out Sadio Mane’s opener, with the Reds eventually ran out 4-1 winners as Mane, Gigi Wijnaldum and Mo Salah all netted in the second half.

But it was still a night to remember for Barry, who started his career in Albion’s youth ranks and had a stint at Barcelona before joining Villa.

He said: “It's the proudest I've ever been. It all happened so quick. My family were probably screaming at the TV when it hit the back of the net. Hopefully there are many more (goals) to come.

“When I celebrated everything came out of me. From start to finish we gave our all.

“When I scored I thought we might have a chance here. But we were a credit to ourselves and a credit to the club. I've never been more proud of a team.

"It was a good experience over at Barcelona but I've got to come to the club I've loved my whole life and my dad's crazy for."

Villa fielded their youngest ever team in a senior match after a coronavirus outbreak shut their Bodymoor Heath training ground.

Next week’s Premier League fixtures against Tottenham and Everton are in doubt after it yesterday emerged nine first-team players had tested positive for Covid-19. Further testing is due to be carried out over the weekend.

Villa host Tottenham on Wednesday and Everton next Saturday and chief executive Christian Purslow conceded it was too early to say whether either match would go ahead as scheduled.

"We are in the middle of a very, very nasty out-of-control coronavirus outbreak in our club," said Purslow.

"In the course of two sets of testing this week we went from clear, to nine, to 14 (positive tests) in a six-day period which was obviously very alarming and we will see where we are next time.

"It is much too early to tell (whether Tottenham or Everton can go ahead as scheduled). We are now obviously in the hands of the Premier League medical people and Public Health England and the experts who will have to form an opinion as to whether the outbreak has been contained.

"We are waiting for the next round of tests this weekend. It is much too early to talk about next week's fixtures.”