You can win trophies with kids: Wenger tips young Gunners for glory

Wenger named a side with an average age of just 19 last night - and was not disappointed as the youngsters ran riot in a 6-0 thrashing of Coca-Cola Championship side Sheffield United at Emirates Stadium.

The future's bright: Arsenal's youngsters light up the Emirates.

Mexican striker Carlos Vela, 19, grabbed a hat-trick while Nicklas Bendtner hit a first-half double and 16-year-old Jack Wilshere weighed in with his first senior goal.  

There were also impressive displays from Wales Under-21 midfielder Aaron Ramsey and aspiring full-back Kieran Gibbs, which all left the Arsenal manager confident the club's future is in safe hands.  

'I was not surprised because I see them every day, but you never know on a big stage how they play,' he said.  

'They did that with the belief we want them to have and the spirit we want them to have.'

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

'When you are under immense pressure to buy in every transfer window, you know that you have these players behind and it would be killing the work we have done.'

Wenger maintained there was no reason why the young Gunners could not go all the way to Wembley, having reached the final in 2007 and losing in the semis last season.

Treble top: Hat-trick hero Carlos Vela scores Arsenal's third against Sheffield United

'We want to win the trophy this season, why not?' he declared.  

'The only pressure you have is that when you go through the rounds towards the semi-finals, everybody says, 'Now you have to change all these players'.  

'So what do you do? Let them play like they have tonight and then say, 'Sorry, you do not play anymore'. For me, that is not serious.  

'No matter how far we go, we have to stick to our policy.  

'These players do not play like kids. They play with intelligence, talent and with spirit.  

'They can beat many teams and I would not be scared to play any individual in the Premier League.'

Blades boss Kevin Blackwell admitted his side had little answer to the young Gunners, whom he hailed as the "best in the world" for their age group.  

'They were awesome at times and would have beaten most teams,' he said.  

'We knew they were a good set of lads, but nobody knew how good they were.'

The day had started so full of hope for the Blades, following the news an independent arbitration had ruled in the club's favour over the Carlos Tevez affair, which could eventually lead to some £30million in compensation.  

Blackwell said: 'Life has a funny way of bringing you down to earth.  

'I have not really had chance to speak to the chairman about it, so not really able to speak about it yet.'