Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists his young stars deserve to play in the Carling Cup semi-final with Tottenham.
Wenger's tactic of selecting fringe players and up-and-coming stars has paid off with stylish wins over Everton and Liverpool in previous rounds.
He told Arsenal TV Online said: "They deserve it. They have earned the right.
"It is very difficult to say 'Listen you are good enough to play at Liverpool, but you are not good enough to play at Tottenham'."
And Wenger is confident his young Gunners have enough ability to beat Spurs in the two-legged semi-final: "We are in a job where only quality decides whether you play or not.
"It is not how old you are, what you did before. Just on the day you have to turn up and show how good you are."
Spurs boss Martin Jol said his players must show they have what it takes to go from nearly men to trophy winners.
"What do we want?" asked the Dutchman. "Do we want to be potential winners?
"That is the only thing in football. The only thing I'm really proud of is that I was coach of the year, player of the year and won the cup in Holland. That is the only thing you think about.
"So we have to win something in our career, they have to win something. Otherwise you are sitting there in 35 or 40 years and there is nothing to come up with. The medals are not important, it's the memories that are important."
And Jol says he is not fooled into thinking Wednesday's game against a second choice Arsenal side will be a foregone conclusion.
"Their second team, or kids, or reserves, is probably as strong as any other Premiership side outside of the top four," he said.
"Julio Baptista was transferred for 20million euros last year and he is playing for the kids.
"How many teams are there in England like Arsenal who can take a gamble and say 'okay, we don't play our best players and we still have a great chance of going for the Champions League and title'?
"We are in not in the position to lend our players out and do well. The only changes I can make are up front or in positions where I have two good players, like in left-back."
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