Arsenal’s Reserves Can Beat Full Strength Manchester City, Vows Jack Wilshere

Arsenal teenager Jack Wilshere has insisted the Gunners’ second string can beat Manchester City when the two sides go head-to-head in the League Cup on Wednesday night.

Manager Arsene Wenger traditionally uses the competition to blood his youngsters who, having despatched Liverpool in the last round, now face the Citizens in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Having missed the win over Rafael Benitez’s side due to an ankle problem, Wilshere is hoping to return for the trip to Eastlands and expects nothing less than a victory.

“It will be good to play against Manchester City and I hope they play a full team,” he told the Sunday Mirror.

“We’ll go there and believe we can win.”

The 17-year-old is also confident the north Londoners can go all the way in the competition and claim the title for the first time since 1993.

“It is realistic for us to win the trophy,” the youngster added.

“I think we can beat Manchester City and if we do then the competition will be wide open. We can go all the way.”

An enthralling game certainly looks to be in prospect, particularly since the last time the two sides met the game hit the headlines after former Gunner Emmanuel Adebayor ran the length of the pitch to celebrate his goal in front of the visiting fans.