( AFP ) - Eduardo's double strike helped Arsenal's fringe stars defeat Sheffield United 3-0 to reach the last eight of the League Cup on Wednesday.
The Brazilian-born Croatian international made the most of a rare start in Arsene Wenger's side with a blistering strike after just eight minutes.
Then Eduardo, who joined the Gunners in a 7.5 million pounds deal from Dinamo Zagreb, doubled his side's advantage five minutes after the break to leave the home side dead and buried before Denilson added a third late on.
As expected Wenger made wholesale changes from the team that drew 1-1 at Liverpool last weekend, naming a completely new first XI which, in theory, was his reserve side.
Theo Walcott was handed a starting place, while Wenger handed a debut to teenage midfielder Kieran Gibbs alongside Brazil's 2002 World Cup winner Gilberto Silva.
The Blades could have taken a shock lead inside four minutes when Chris Lucketti headed into the path of Billy Sharp close to goal but his shot was well smothered by the advancing Lukasz Fabianski.
Normal service was resumed just four minutes later when the Gunners took the lead with a stunning strike.
Nicklas Bendtner was allowed time and space to find Eduardo with a diagonal ball and the striker took a quick look up before rifling an unstoppable drive past the shell-shocked Ian Bennett and into the top corner.
The one-way traffic continued as Wenger's men threatened to cut the Blades to pieces. Denilson shot over from close range before Walcott beat the advancing Bennett but was unable to keep the ball in play.
Despite the visitors boasting a side with an average age of just over 20 Wenger's youngsters were handing out a footballing lesson to some of Bryan Robson's seasoned professionals, even if the scoreline remained the same.
Abou Diaby set-up another chance for Walcott on 37 minutes but with just Bennett to beat the England international sliced his shot badly wide.
A second goal was inevitable and the only surprise was that it took until the 50th minute to arrive.
Gibbs was the creator with a long ball forward which caught the Blades defence flat-footed and allowed Eduardo to charge clean through on goal and beat Bennett with a simple finish.
Walcott came within a whisker of adding a third on 65 minutes, beating Chris Armstrong for pace before rounding Bennett only to see his angled shot come back off the post and then cleared to safety.
Moments later Denilson made it 3-0 when his 25 yard shot took a slight deflection off Chris Morgan before looping over Bennett and into the back of the net.
Robson's men had to live off scraps but came close to pulling a goal back on 71 minutes, but Chris Lucketti's shot was cleared off the line by Gilberto to deny the veteran defender a rare moment of joy on an otherwise depressing night.