Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says his young players will be stronger for their Carling Cup final victory over Tottenham.

In his match programme notes for this week's 2-0 victory over Inter Milan, Ferguson wrote: "I was delighted for the boys who underlined my faith in them. It's not easy playing at Wembley in a Cup final. Experienced players can sometimes freeze because it's an occasion that tests the nerves. For instance young Danny Welbeck got an early chance to score but you could almost hear him thinking, this is Wembley, I must make sure of this opportunity, and the slight hesitation saw him slip and miss the chance.

"But you can bet that the next time he will crack it first time, whatever the occasion, because he has knowledge of a big occasion under his belt. It's a learning curve that young players like Welbeck, Darron Gibson, Jonny Evans and Nani have to go through, which is why I have been giving them their head in the Carling and FA Cups. I was just sorry that Rafael missed the final through injury.

"The success of the youngsters gives us good backing as we enter a key phase of the season. A manager's nightmare is finding that injuries suddenly force him to bring in an untested player for a vital match. That can't happen at United because, happily, I can call on a squad that has experience in depth. I can make changes with every confidence from a pool of players who have all tasted the big-time and have grown up together."