Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will stick with his kids for tonight's Carling Cup tie with Wigan.

Wenger said: "I've always fought for the idea in sport that, if you have the necessary quality, then you play.

"Right now we have the example of Barack Obama in the States, where everybody is really happy because he has made it to the very top.

"In this election nobody really knows what his ideas are but the system has brought him to the top just because he has the quality.

"Nothing else comes into consideration.

And in sport that is also the case. I've always believed in that.

"So even if it was my own son, he could never play for Arsenal if he wasn't good enough."

Wenger continued: "We will keep faith with our Carling Cup policy and not change it now.

"It is very important that all these young players enjoy the opportunity to show how good they are.

"Our first priority is not to win the Carling Cup, although we will try our best to do that. But we use this competition for educational purposes, to allow our young players to develop. Wigan are a top team so it will be a good test for us.

"But I am really, really keen to see how we get on because I believe we can cause them problems."