Liverpool coach Neil Critchley has hailed Aston Villa manager Dean Smith and his assistant John Terry for comforting his players after being thumped in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
With the Reds first-team and coaching staff away in Doha, Qatar ahead of the Club World Cup this week; it was up to Liverpool Under-23 coach Critchley and Liverpool's youth team to fill-in in their absence for Tuesday's League Cup quarter-final tie.
The result didn't go the way Liverpool would have hoped for as they thrashed 5-0 at Aston Villa - who were able to field a side full of experience.
And Villa were gracious in victory as Smith and Terry congratulated Critchley's youngsters for their performance nonetheless.
'I want to say the conduct of the Villa players was first class,' Critchley said post-match on Sky Sports.
'For Dean [Smith] and John [Terry] to come in [the changing room] and say what they did was great.
'They said how difficult we made it for them, we’ve got great players and wished us all the best for the future.'