The Arsenal manager named a side with an average age of just 19 and in which the oldest player, keeper Lukasz Fabianski, was a mere 23.

Wenger's faith in youth was repaid as Mexican striker Carlos Vela, 19, grabbed a hat-trick while Nicklas Bendtner, 20, hit a first-half double and 16-year-old Jack Wilshere weighed in with his first senior goal as the Gunners ran out comprehensive winners.

There were also and 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.

However, Wenger admitted that integrating his talented youngsters in the Arsenal first team would be a challenge, comments which will no doubt frustrate Gunners fans who are impatient for success after years without a trophy since their 2004-05 league triumph.

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

''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 said 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.

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

Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell admitted his side had no 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.''

2008 EMMYS WINNERS

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Jeremy Piven, Entourage (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Jean Smart, Samantha Who? (ABC)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Zeljko Ivanek, Damages (FX)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Diane Wiest, In Treatment (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE

Tom Wilkinson, John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE

Dame Eileen Atkins, Cranford (Masterpiece) (PBS)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE

Laura Linney, John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE

Paul Giamatti, John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY PROGRAM

Louis J. Horvitz, The 80th Annual Academy Awards

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY PROGRAM

The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)

OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC OR COMEDY SERIES

The Daily Show with John Stewart (Comedy Central)

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE IN A VARIETY OR MUSIC PROGRAM

Don Rickles, Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

Barry Sonnenfeld, Pushing Daisies - “Pie-lette” (ABC)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

Tina Fey, 30 Rock - “Cooter” (NBC)

OUTSTANDING MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE

Recount (HBO)

OUTSTANDING MINISERIES

John Adams (HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL

Jay Roach, Recount (HBO)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL

Kirk Ellis, John Adams - “Independence” (HBO)

OUTSTANDING REALITY/COMPETITION PROGRAM

The Amazing Race (CBS)

OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY/COMPETITION SHOW

Jeff Probst, Survivor (CBS)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Greg Yaitanes, House - “House’s Head” (Fox)

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Matthew Weiner, Mad Men - “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (AMC)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES

Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

Glenn Close, Damages (FX)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Brian Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

Mad Men (AMC)

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

30 Rock (NBC)

NBC’s 30 Rock swept the Comedy category, winning four awards. The show’s stars Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin won Emmys for outstanding lead actress and actor in a comedy.

“This is the greatest job I’ve ever had,” declared Alec as he picked up his statuette.

Tina thanked her parents for “somehow raising me to have confidence that is disproportionate with my looks and abilities. Well done. That is what all parents should do.”

By JUST JARED.COM