Wenger's young guns have bright future

LONDON: Arsene Wenger declared himself confident that Arsenal's future is in safe hands after watching the club's youngest ever side inflict a 6-0 League Cup drubbing on Sheffield United.

Despite an average age of just 19, the young Gunners put the Blades to the sword with a pass-and-move masterclass that resulted in an embarrassingly one-sided League Cup 3rd round tie in which Mexican teenager Carlos Alberto Vela claimed a hat-trick.


Arsenal's English Midfielder Jack Wilshere vies with Sheffield United's Scottish defender Gary Naysmith during their Carling Cup 3rd round match at the Emirates, London, on Tuesday.
Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner scored a double and 16-year-old Jack Wilshere notched his first for the first team to leave Wenger purring with delight over what he described as a "complete" performance.

The Frenchman said: "The team showed a good mixture of talent and a mature collective spirit to play football the way we want to play.

"The way the team remained focused and they looked a complete team. I am very proud of that.

"We looked strong in every individual position, and that takes a lot of hard work."

Wenger hinted that Vela may not have to wait long for further first team exposure. "We knew about Bendtner, but we discovered more about Vela," he said. "He is a clinical finisher. I integrated Wilshere into the first team sometimes last season when he was 15 and he did not look out of place and it is natural for him.

"I was not surprised because I see them every day, but you never know on a big stage how they play. They did that with the belief we want them to have and the spirit we want then to have.

"Now for us the biggest challenge is to keep them together and slowly integrate them into the first team. Some have done that already."

Wenger said the performance was vindication of his parsimonious approach in the transfer market. "When you are under immense pressure to buy in every transfer window, when you know that you have these players behind it would be killing the work we have done."

Elsewhere, Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his first start for Manchester United since the Champions League final with a goal as Sir Alex Ferguson's side beat 10-man Middlesbrough 3-1 at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo began his quest to match last season's 42-goal tally by heading in a Ryan Giggs corner midway through the first half.

His effort was canceled out by Adam Johnson's volley early in the second half but Ryan Giggs restored the home side's lead after Middlesbrough had been reduced to 10 men following the straight red card issued to Emmanuel Pogatetz for a horrendous challenge on Rodrigo Possebon that left the Brazilian teenager with a suspected broken leg.

Ronaldo's compatriot Nani completed an ultimately comfortable win with United's third at the death.

Liverpool took a leaf out of Arsenal's book by naming a second-string side for their Anfield clash with League One's Crewe.

But the Reds could not match the Gunners in terms of quality as they labored to a 2-1 win.

Danish centerback Daniel Agger hammered in a 15th-minute freekick to get Liverpool off to a positive start.

But Crewe claimed a deserved equalizer through Michael O'Connor 10 minutes later and Liverpool struggled to break down the visitors until Brazilian Leiva Lucas restored the lead with a close-range header.

Championship side Burnley pulled off the biggest upset of the night when they knocked out the Premier League's Fulham, courtesy of an 88th-minute strike from 19-year-old local boy Jay Rodriguez.

Watford also claimed a Premier League scalp with an own goal by Hadyn Mullins condemning West Ham to their first defeat under new manager Gianfranco Zola.

Elsewhere, Swansea emerged victorious from their south Wales derby clash with Cardiff, courtesy of Jordi Gomez's goal.

Sunderland needed two late goals from Anthony Stokes to force their clash with Northampton into extra-time before finally coming through by winning the penalty shoot-out 4-3.

Premiership newcomers Stoke were also forced into extra-time after twice being pegged back by Reading but they also survived penalties, winning the shoot-out 4-3.

Source: China Daily/Agencies