Paul Merson feels Arsenal's youngster can emulate Manchester United's Class of 92

Former Arsenal playmaker Paul Merson has claimed that his old club could emulate Manchester United by producing a crop of young players capable of replicating the achievements of the famed 'Class of 92.'

Attacking trio Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli have scored 14 league goals between them this season to fire the Gunners into the top four.

In the side's latest outing on Tuesday, striker Eddie Nketiah offered a reminder of his qualities by netting a hat-trick, while 18-year-old Charlie Patino announced himself by scoring on his debut as Arsenal thrashed Sunderland 5-1 to ease through to the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

With all five of these players aged 22 or under, it seems that they have promising careers ahead of them.

Merson is getting excited by the prospect of them playing together at the Emirates for years to come, and has compared them to the golden generation of young talent that United brought through in the early 1990s, which included David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.

‘You imagine if Nketiah gets in the team and then all of a sudden you have got Smith Rowe on one side and [Bukayo] Saka on the other,' Merson told Sky Sports.

‘Or they could have Martinelli on one side and Smith Rowe dropping back.

‘Those four players, and the young lad, Charlie, they could be for the next five, six or seven years at Arsenal.

‘Who knows, it could be the next Man United.’

The future looks bright at Arsenal, but these young players still have a long way to go if they want to be as successful as United were, given that Sir Alex Ferguson's side dominated the first two decades of the Premier League, winning 13 titles.

However, Mikel Arteta is putting his faith in youth at the moment, and it is paying off.

Arsenal have won their last four games in all competitions, and are gathering momentum, with their young stars consistently delivering the goods for Arteta.