Alan Hansen famously said "you'll never win anything with kids," conveniently forgetting competitions such as Beautiful Baby contests. The Match of the Day pundit uttered his infamous comment way back on the opening day of the 1995-96 season after a young Manchester United side had been pummelled 3-1 by Aston Villa. Ah, those were the days, when Last of the Summer Wine was enjoying its 23rd series, when Chelsea were just a middling team with no money and nouveau riche Blackburn had just won the Premier League title.Sir Alex Ferguson flogged experienced players like Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis during the summer, allowing what turned out to be, an outstandingly talented crop of youngsters to be given an extended run in the first team. The rest is hysteria. After a shaky start to the season, United went on to win 13 of their remaining 16 Premier League fixtures picking up 41 points in the process, losing only once more, away at Southampton. Ultimately, United took the title, finishing four points ahead of Newcastle in second, and 11 points ahead of Liverpool, in third with the season being remembered more for then Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan's, "I'd love it if we beat them, love it!" outburst during an interview.
The thing is, when I look at Arsenal's current team I can't help thinking Hansen was right all along, too much inexperience, no matter how talented, will never win you a Premier League title. The way the young Guns were bullied, bashed and beaten in the big games this season led me to take another look at the team United played, the one Hansen criticised. Were they really that young?
The defence that started that day were Peter Schmeichel (31), Paul Parker (31), Dennis Irwin (29), Gary Pallister (30) and Gary Neville (20). Bags of experience there.
The midfield consisted of Lee Sharpe (24), Nicky Butt (20), Roy Keane (24), Paul Scholes (20) and Phil Neville (18). While Brian McClair (31) led the line on his own. David Beckham (whatever happened to him?) and John O'Kane came on as substitutes.
Now that doesn't look too inexperienced a line-up to me, rather a good blend of experience bedded in with some truly outstanding youngsters - and Gary Neville.
The average age of the United starting eleven was a fairly mature 23.5. They weren't kids at all, not compared to the Arsenal team that played Chelsea on Sunday, whose average age was 12. Hansen was right all along, you don't win anything with kids – he was wrong only in the fact that the team were a little older than he realised, the silly old codger.
All this brings me neatly on to Arsenal's match at the Emirates on Wednesday against a rejuvenated Liverpool team back to winning ways.
Bet 365 make Liverpool 1-3 to finish the Premier League season above Arsenal as the two sides go head-to-head on Wednesday with the Gunners 1-5 favourites to maintain their positional supremacy.
The best bet though, and this may surprise you, is the 11-10 on offer for the Gunners to beat Liverpool on Wednesday. I thought Arsenal were superb against Chelsea on Sunday. Of course they dominated the possession, they always do against every team they play, but for me on this occasion they showed some steel and were unlucky to come away from Stamford Bridge empty handed. The difference was an in-form Didier Drogba and there's no shame in being out-muscled by Chelsea's target man. Few teams can control the big Ivorian on his day, with the exception of all the teams he faced in the African Cup of Nations.
Arsenal have failed to score in their last two matches against United and Chelsea. I can see them venting their frustrations on a workman like Liverpool team. Despite not finding the net in their last two outings only United have scored more in the league this season than the usually free-scoring Gunners. You have to remember that everybody has been giving United a helping hand. So far this season Own Goal is the second top scorer for United after Wayne Rooney.
TOP TIP: ARSENAL TO BEAT LIVERPOOL AT 11-10 WITH PADDYPOWER
