Liverpool were comfortable 4-1 winners at FA Cup opponents Aston Villa on Friday night.
A coronavirus outbreak at their training ground this week meant no first-team players were available to Villa, with the club fielding a starting XI composed of seven under-23 players and four from the under-18s.
But despite conceding in the fourth-minute when Sadio Mane headed in, they remained resolute in defence for the rest of the half and then stunned the visitors when 17-year-old Louie Barry equalised.
Unfortunately for Villa, the youngsters tired while the Reds exerted more pressure in the second half, scoring three goals in a five-minute spell after the break.
Georginio Wijnaldum stroked in Liverpool's second on the hour mark before Mane looped in a header and Mohamed Salah struck home a low shot from inside the area.
Afterwards,Reds boss Jurgen Klopp said: "The kids did really well - that's good. We had football problems. We needed a little bit longer but then it was completely clear.
"Problems in passing and moving. Too many on the wrong side of the ball - not enough recoveries of passes. We had chances and shot the ball directly at the goalie - we changed it in the second half.
"It was rusty but better in the second half. Against Southampton [1-0 defeat] from the first second they were more on the pitch but that was not the case today."
On having nine days off before facing Manchester United, he added: "We have a lot players with no rhythm. We will do a lot of 11 v 11 training."
