Aston Villa's kids produced a stunning performance to thrash much-vaunted NextGen opponents Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in Portugal last night.

Steve Burns says Villa's stunning NextGen Series performance against Sporting Lisbon ranks "in the top three I've seen in my 25 years at the club."

The assistant academy manager hailed the efforts of the club's U19 side, who thrashed the Group 4 leaders to book a place in the knockout stages of the prestigious European tournament.

Janoi Donacien gave Villa a slender 1-0 advantage going into the break at the Sporting Academy, before Graham Burke and Michael Drennan scored two goals each in the second-half.

"We took the lead after 10 minutes having already had a penalty appeal turned down," Burns told Villa's website.

"Then after the break we steamrollered them.

"Every single one of them performed - there was not a bad performance on the field.

"It was thoroughly deserved and I think if we'd have played anyone tonight they'd have struggled against us in that form.

"I would say that was in the top three performances I have ever seen and I've been here for 25 years."