Player ratings from Squawka:
Liverpool
Caoimhin Kelleher – 4 – A tricky night for the young Irishman who simply didn’t have the same impact as his goalkeeping counterpart on the opposite side of the pitch.
Ki-Jana Hoever – 6 – An encouraging performance from the young and highly-regarded Dutchman who worked well in tandem with Elliot on the right flank.
Sepp van den Berg – 4 – Looked slick and tidy when playing out from the back, but defensively he has some way to go before he can make the step up to the first-team reckoning.
Morgan Boyes – 5 – Another who looked comfortable with the ball at his feet, and certainly Boyes, as well as Berg, made some vital challenges and got their shorts muddy, but Villa simply found openings far too easily.
Tony Gallacher – 5 – Surged forward and offered plenty of energy on the left flank, but Villa had a lot of joy down their right-hand side with Gallagher overwhelmed at times.
Isaac Christie-Davies – 6 – Looked slick, elegant and tidy in possession. His passion and overeagerness got the better of him at times as he rushed into challenges, but on the whole the 22-year-old had a very neat game in the middle of the park.
Pedro Chirivella – 6 – Sat in front of the Liverpool defence, playing almost as a metronome, spraying passes and dictating the tempo. On a difficult night for Critchley’s young side, the captain can hold his head high.
Herbie Kane – 5 – The midfielder offered plenty of tenacity and industry on the turf but squandered some big chances and failed to leave an imprint on this encounter.
Harvey Elliott – 7 – A real menace whenever the ball found his feet. It’s hard to believe Elliot is only 16 because he played like a Liverpool first-team regular tonight. There was a maturity and audacity about his play that perhaps indicates he has a long career on Merseyside.
Thomas Hill – 5 – Darted about the pitch looking to involve himself but was unable to produce the same influential performance as Elliot on the opposing flank.
Luis Longstaff – 4 – Never an easy task coming up against two Premier League centre-backs as a young forward, and that proved the case tonight as Longstaff struggled to really impose himself in the final third and unsettle Villa’s backline.
Substitutes:
Jack Bearne (for Longstaff 64) – 5 – Came on for the final 30 minutes and certainly offered a renewed urgency up-top but unable to breach Nyland’s net.
Leighton Clarkson (for Christie-Davies 77) – 5 – Brought on for the final 15 minutes or so and looked tidy enough in possession.
James Norris (for Hoever 82) – N/A – Substituted on for the final 10 minutes.
Liverpool
Caoimhin Kelleher – 4 – A tricky night for the young Irishman who simply didn’t have the same impact as his goalkeeping counterpart on the opposite side of the pitch.
Ki-Jana Hoever – 6 – An encouraging performance from the young and highly-regarded Dutchman who worked well in tandem with Elliot on the right flank.
Sepp van den Berg – 4 – Looked slick and tidy when playing out from the back, but defensively he has some way to go before he can make the step up to the first-team reckoning.
Morgan Boyes – 5 – Another who looked comfortable with the ball at his feet, and certainly Boyes, as well as Berg, made some vital challenges and got their shorts muddy, but Villa simply found openings far too easily.
Tony Gallacher – 5 – Surged forward and offered plenty of energy on the left flank, but Villa had a lot of joy down their right-hand side with Gallagher overwhelmed at times.
Isaac Christie-Davies – 6 – Looked slick, elegant and tidy in possession. His passion and overeagerness got the better of him at times as he rushed into challenges, but on the whole the 22-year-old had a very neat game in the middle of the park.
Pedro Chirivella – 6 – Sat in front of the Liverpool defence, playing almost as a metronome, spraying passes and dictating the tempo. On a difficult night for Critchley’s young side, the captain can hold his head high.
Herbie Kane – 5 – The midfielder offered plenty of tenacity and industry on the turf but squandered some big chances and failed to leave an imprint on this encounter.
Harvey Elliott – 7 – A real menace whenever the ball found his feet. It’s hard to believe Elliot is only 16 because he played like a Liverpool first-team regular tonight. There was a maturity and audacity about his play that perhaps indicates he has a long career on Merseyside.
Thomas Hill – 5 – Darted about the pitch looking to involve himself but was unable to produce the same influential performance as Elliot on the opposing flank.
Luis Longstaff – 4 – Never an easy task coming up against two Premier League centre-backs as a young forward, and that proved the case tonight as Longstaff struggled to really impose himself in the final third and unsettle Villa’s backline.
Substitutes:
Jack Bearne (for Longstaff 64) – 5 – Came on for the final 30 minutes and certainly offered a renewed urgency up-top but unable to breach Nyland’s net.
Leighton Clarkson (for Christie-Davies 77) – 5 – Brought on for the final 15 minutes or so and looked tidy enough in possession.
James Norris (for Hoever 82) – N/A – Substituted on for the final 10 minutes.
