Arsenal 3 Wigan 0

IF Manchester United were reeling after their defeat at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, Sir Alex Ferguson could today be forgiven for feeling trumped by Arsenal twice already this season.

Jay Simpson and Carlos Vela scored the goals but it was the magical performance of Aaron Ramsey, who turned down a move to Old Trafford in the summer, that inspired a Carling Cup cruise against Wigan.

There were raised eyebrows when Arsene Wenger parted with £5million - arguably a surprise he got the chequebook out at all - to take a 17-year-old from Cardiff with just 11 starts in the second tier of English football.

However, the Welshman has made notable strides in recent games by scoring his first goal for the club, in the Champions League no less, and making his first European start in last week's goalless draw against Fenerbahce.

And last night he simply made Arsenal tick against a side of genuine Premier League quality. It would be somewhat premature to attach labels to Ramsey but the comparisons with Cesc Fabregas were marked.

His performance comprised a stunning array of passing from either foot, remarkable composure in tight situations and exquisite vision to pick the right ball. Kieran Gibbs impressed as a marauding full-back, Fran Merida and Mark Randall were quietly efficient while Vela and Simpson provided a real cutting edge in attack.

Understandably, Wenger was beaming with pride. "I enjoyed every minute of it," said the Arsenal manager. "It was a big test for such a young team. We looked really up for it and in the end it was a fantastic win.

"These boys, they surprise everybody because there is a mixture of character, commitment and calm as well. Under pressure they remain extremely calm and play always very good football.

"What they do on the pitch is not a coincidence, it is quality. I will keep them together to see how far they can go.

"First we had Sheffield United and then Wigan. They were different challenges but now you know they can produce."

Jack Wilshere earned Sky's man-of-the-match award and it would be churlish to begrudge him that, even if the champagne had to go to his mother because he is still just under two months away from his 17th birthday.

But where Wilshere tired before being taken off with 13 minutes remaining, Ramsey (right) kept going to the end and helped snuff out Wigan's belated efforts for a consolation, albeit aided by a stunning late double save by Lukasz Fabianski. Wilshere's slide-rule pass put Simpson in to score his first before doubling his tally thanks to Vela's cross from Ramsey's superbly weighted ball.

It was play worthy of the first team and Vela's chipped third served as a reminder of his hat-trick in the humiliation of Sheffield United.

Steve Bruce stood hands on hips slightly bemused by it all but he played his part in Wigan's downfall. The Wigan boss knows more than most how much quality there usually is among Arsenal's younger ranks, having taken players including Nicklas Bendtner and Sebastian Larsson during his time in charge at Birmingham.

Perhaps that explains why he paid them far too much respect tactically, although not in team selection. Wigan made only one change from the side that drew with Stoke in the Premier League and that was enforced with Emile Heskey suffering a hamstring injury.

Arsenal made 11 from the patched-up side that beat the European champions.But by replacing Heskey with Daniel De Ridder and choosing to line up in a 4-5-1 system, it left the dangerous Amr Zaki isolated and allowed the home side to settle on the ball at the beginning of the match when there must have been some degree of nerves. After all, the average age of Arsenal's outfielders was 19 compared to Wigan's 26.

"They were frightening on the night," said Bruce. "Arsene says it is the best crop of youngsters he's had and when you think of the young players they have had in the past, that is some compliment. We've had our backsides kicked."

Of course, it may not quite be so routine should the Gunners face a Premier League side away in the quarter-final when the draw is made on Saturday. A Mexican wave broke out in the final ten minutes as the supporters shared Wenger's pride about the win.

While Saturday's victory over United could have a huge impact on Arsenal's season, last night suggested beating their rivals to the signature of Ramsey may well prove the more significant victory in the long run.