Arsenal's Man of the Match Against Tottenham: Jack Wilshere

Arsene Wenger decided to go with a strong team consisting of a lot of first team regulars for Tuesday's 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby. It was in contradiction to his youth policy in the Carling Cup, but with five barren trophy-less years, it would have raised a lot of unnecessary questions if Arsenal had been knocked out in the first round by their arch-rivals.

The team consisted of many experienced players like Tomas Rosicky, Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Eboue, but it was the young Jack Wilshere who had the maximum influence on the proceedings of the game. Wilshere showed against Spurs that he was a fierce competitor, and was unfazed by the hostile reception at the stadium.

Wilshere has been at Arsenal from a very young age. He has graduated through the grades, making his Arsenal debut at the age of 16 and in doing so became the youngest ever player for Arsenal to play in a Premier League game. But since then he has been unable to break into the first team on a regular basis, and was loaned out to Bolton Wanderers last season during the January transfer window. At Bolton, he got some much needed playing time under the tutelage of Owen Coyle, who believed in the youngster.

He was impressive this year in preseason, which made Wenger retain the youngster and reject loan offers from Bolton and a host of other clubs. He was handed his first start against Liverpool in the opener at Anfield, and from then on, has started in 5 games including the Champions League tie against Braga and against Tottenham in the Carling Cup. 

It is easy to see why Wenger wanted to keep the teenager at the Emirates based on his performances against Braga and Tottenham. Against Spurs, he was his usual buzzing self, tracking every loose ball, and trying to win every 50-50 ball. His passing was crisp and he tried to instigate a number of Arsenal players. There was a period in the first-half when it seemed like every single attack was going through Wilshere.

His early exchanges with Denilson and Samir Nasri, who was rather uncharacteristically wasteful in possession, were neat and kept the game flowing. But in the 15th minute, after some involvement in the build-up play, he produced a sublime cross traversing the face of goal, which exposed the frailties of the Tottenham defence and was duly converted by youngster Henri Lansbury to give Arsenal the lead. Wilshere also provided incisive passes from the deep, releasing Rosicky, Nasri and Lansbury time and again.

Spurs considered him the major threat, and tried to mark him out of the game. He was the target of many rough tackles by Sandro, Palacios and company. But, he did not whine and got on with the game after each bad tackle. Wilshere did not flinch away from tackles and also, was not afraid to stand up to the Spurs midfield, winning his fair share of tackles and loose balls.

Though he is small in stature, he has a big heart and demonstrates his passion and mental toughness on the pitch. He is one of the most talented young players in the world, and if his short free-kick to release Andrei Arshavin is any indication, he is an intelligent lad who can read the game well. He has the potential be a revelation for Arsenal, who have been hit hard by injuries, and could be instrumental in Arsenal attaining success in this season.

Man of the Match against Tottenham: Jack Wilshere, for a performance that oozed class

Runner-Up Award: Laurent Koscielny, for his impressive, aggressive defending