But he says whatever side the Gunners put out against Sunderland this weekend, they will hand Roy Keane's men one of their toughest games of the season.

Arsene Wenger has a habit of producing some of the best young talent in the game and he has got football talking with his latest batch of kids' 6-0 demolition of Sheffield United in the Carling Cup third round.

And although Arsenal's squad is still very much a work in progress - as their 2-1 defeat to Hull City showed last weekend - their 4-0 destruction of Porto in the Champions League midweek shows that on their day they can sweep any team aside.

Richardson admitted: "It's looking great for Arsenal with all the young players there who are coming through.

"I think there's always been that emphasis on youth development under Arsene Wenger and they're reaping the benefits of that system and have been doing for some years.

"I'm 24 this month and I'm thinking: 'bloody hell, I'm feeling like an old man'!"