17 Dec Liverpool’s youngest ever line-up dumped from “weirdest” quarter-final

Liverpool fielded the youngest ever side in the club’s history in the EFL (League) Cup quarter-final as they look ahead to tomorrow’s FIFA Club World Cup.

A Reds side consisting of five debutants and with an average age of 19 years and six months were beaten 5-0 to be dumped from the League Cup competition by Aston Villa at Villa Park.

The oldest starter for the Merseysiders was Isaac Christie-Davies at 22 while Harvey Elliott was the youngest at 16.

19y & 182d – With an average age of 19 years & 182 days, Liverpool have named their youngest ever starting line-up for a competitive game in all competitions. Opportunity. #CarabaoCup #AVLLIV pic.twitter.com/9oiMXLFyop

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 17, 2019

The defeat ended a 20-game unbeaten run in all competitions, however, it wasn’t all doom and gloom as the young Reds acquitted themselves well with the final scoreline not a true reflection of how they performed.

The Neil Critchley-coached Liverpool kept over 57% of possession, produced more passes and had eight shots on target (to Villa’s six) only for Villa keeper Orjan Nyland to deny them at every chance and was rated by many as Man of the Match.

Villa’s goals came from a first-half brace from Jonathan Kodjia, a 14th-minute opener from Conor Hourihane, an own-goal from Reds teenager Morgan Boyes and an injury-time effort from Wesley.

They are into the final four of the League Cup for the first time since 2013 and will play in a two-legged semi-final beginning on January 7 or 8 against a yet to be determined opponent with all other quarter-finals to come.

Villa manager Dean Smith suggested it was a strange cup final such was the youthfulness of the opposition.

"It was a little bit of a weird game, probably the weirdest quarter-final of a major competition that I've seen or been involved in,” he said on Sky Sports.

“But I've got to give the Liverpool kids credit because they were very good, technically-gifted players who were tactically switched-on and very well coached. They made it difficult for us at times.”

The reason for such a youth-laden Liverpool XI was that Jurgen Klopp and the senior group are in Doha, Qatar to gear up for the semi-final of the Club World Cup against Mexican side Monterrey on Thursday morning (AEDT).

📊 Ages of Liverpool’s starting line-up in @Carabao_Cup at Aston Villa tonight:
1️⃣6️⃣ Elliott
1️⃣7️⃣ Hoever, van den Berg, Hill
1️⃣8️⃣ Boyes, Longstaff
2️⃣0️⃣ Gallacher
2️⃣1️⃣ Kelleher, Kane
2️⃣2️⃣ Christie-Davies, Chirivella

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) December 17, 2019