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Arsenal’s youngsters handed Sheffield United a football lesson as they raced into the Carling Cup fourth round.

Nicklas Bendtner started the rout on the half-hour with a shot from 20 yards and soon struck again from close range.

Carlos Vela curled in a superb third before half-time and the 19-year-old striker made it 4-0 five minutes after the break with a sublime dinked effort.

Jack Wilshere, 16, drilled in a fifth goal for Arsenal before Vela completed his hat-trick with another fine finish.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger picked a starting line-up with an average age of only 19 and then was able to sit back and watch them tear apart their Championship opponents.

The young Gunners began brightly but Johan Djourou and Wilshere missed early chances and it took the relatively senior and experienced Bendtner, despite being only 20 himself, to make the breakthrough.