Eastmond justifies starting berth

Craig Eastmond must have been as shocked as many at the Emirates on Wednesday night as his name was read out in the starting line-up against Liverpool.

The tough-tackling midfielder put in a commanding performance to subdue Liverpool's Jay Spearing and Damien Plessis, helping Arsenal into the quarter-finals of the competition for the seventh consecutive season.

Arsene Wenger continued his policy to select from his hand-picked group of youngsters for the Carling Cup tie with teenagers Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey, Fran Merida and right-back Kerrea Gilbert joining Eastmond in the starting line-up. The surprising selection was, however, Eastmond's.

Eastmond was part of the FA Youth Cup and FA Academy League-winning team last season but he was often overlooked when the praise was being passed around.

Playing in his less-favoured position of right-back, Eastmond put in solid performances without really setting the world alight while the likes of Kyle Bartley and Jack Wilshere were recognised as future Arsenal and England regulars.

Francis Coquelin who has been earning rave reviews within the club was also in the squad and many expected the eighteen year-old Frenchman to claim the defensive midfield role, while Emmanuel Frimpong - who was Coquelin's midfield partner in the victorious under-18 team - was another alternative having previously been in Carling Cup squads. Both Coquelin and Frimpong were lauded as the next Makelele at various time last season but it seems as though Eastmond has now leapfrogged them in Wenger's thinking.

The former Millwall youngster has been promoted to the reserves this season along with a number of the of the Under-18 team and with right-back Kerrea Gilbert returning from the wilderness, Eastmond has been shifted to his more natural defensive midfield position.

Wenger explained his decision to move Eastmond into midfield on the Arsenal website, he said: "We always felt that he is very intelligent in his reading of the game but he lacked a little bit of pace so we put him in midfield.

His performances so far this season have shown that the switch has been a masterstroke. He has cemented a regular place in the reserve side alongside the likes of Mark Randall, Francis Coquelin and Fran Merida and has even weighed in with a goal. Wenger said: "He has blossomed there in the Reserves and that is why we gave him a chance tonight."

With Alex Song expected to travel with Cameroon to the African Nations Cup in January the race will be on for one of the young players to step into the squad and it looks like a race that Eastmond is currently winning.