Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
VILLA’S KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
But ruthless Reds turn the screw after scare
THE night started with the kids being dropped off at Villa Park by their parents.
And it ended with tears before bedtime after a heroic failure in the FA Cup which t h e s e A s t o n Vi l l a youngsters should remember for the rest of their lives. They gave Liverpool’s superstars an almighty scare and there was more than a touch of FA Cup magic even in defeat.
When Villa wonderkid Louie Barry levelled before half-time, we wondered whether one of the biggest upsets of all time could really be on the cards.
No one should forget that Liverpool were 66-1 ON with bookies to win this cup tie because the entire Villa first team and reserve team was missing following a Covid outbreak.
This was the best 90 minutes of work experience this bunch of Villa kids could have hoped for.
Many were too young to have taken their driving test so needed a lift to the ground. But they produced their own chapter in this season’s FA Cup story, doing themselves proud before a second-half goal rush from the champions eventually broke their resistance.
It somehow seemed cruel on Villa’s youngsters but it was only when their legs tired and heads dropped that Liverpool took charge. Yet the expected cricket score never happened - even if it looked on the cards early on.
The Villa fairytale looked like it had lasted less than four minutes. That was how long it took Liverpool to take the lead through Sadio Mane, one of a host of superstars named in the starting line-up.
Curtis Jones had time dow n the right to pick out a cross, the ball was floated into the middle, and there was Mane unmarked to head home past Villa’s 19-year-old keeper Akos Onodi. The avalanche began - but stalled. That was partly down to the slackness of Liverpool, perhaps taking the game too lightly, but also down to Villa’s heroic defending and brave performance as they grew in confidence.
Villa keeper Onodi made a string of superb saves, none better than a double stop from Fabinho and Mane in the 23rd minute. Then the unthinkable happened. Callum Rowe, Villa’s oldest player at the grand age of 21, played a nice, inviting ball forward for Barry.
Barry beat Liverpool centre-half Rhys Williams for pace, kept his composure, and then slotted it past keeper Caoimhin Kelleher for what will surely go down as one of the best moments of this season’s FA Cup.
Suddenly it looked as if a fairytale was happening before our eyes.
But Liverpool took charge in the second half. Clever play by Mo Salah and Takumi Minamino set up a chance for Georginio Wijnaldum and the Dutch midfielder steered home from the edge of the box.
Mane’s looping header then made it 3-1 from sub Xherdan Shaqiri’s cross before Salah’s low shot completed the rout.
But Villa’s kids can go home very proud. After Mum picks them up, of course.