Aston Villa recall decimated XI vs Liverpool last season when COVID caused havoc

The Reds have had their Carabao Cup semi-final tie with Arsenal postponed due to increasing positive Covid tests.

Manager Jurgen Klopp was already in self-isolation having returned a positive test, alongside first team trio Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip.

The list increased to five when Klopp's assistant, Pep Lijnders, also tested positive after taking charge of the Reds during their 2-2 draw with Chelsea at the weekend.

The EFL have now granted Liverpool's request, moving the first leg to a week after the second, but the change hasn't gone unnoticed among other teams.

Aston Villa were forced to hand out several debuts when they fielded a youth side last season due to a Covid outbreak when they faced Liverpool in the FA Cup third round and lost 4-1.

And with news emerging of Liverpool's postponement being granted, the club Tweeted a reminder of the game with the caption: 'Last time out in the Third Round… 16 debuts'.

Villa's next game is again in the FA Cup when they face Manchester United at Old Trafford on January 10, but the timing of the tweet could be interpreted as a dig at Liverpool.

The FA Cup tie wasn't the only game involving reduced squads between Liverpool and Villa, though, with the 2019/20 League Cup providing another example.

Scheduling for Champions League winners Liverpool meant that their Club World Cup tie against Monterrey in Doha was to be played a day after a League Cup quarter-final at Villa Park.

There was no room for either game to be moved, leading Liverpool to make the decision to field their youth team against Villa, losing 5-0 with a side managed by current Blackpool boss Neil Critchley.